Naruto - Bonds Anew
by Dreaming of the Phoenix
Summary: Something completely unforeseen occurs in the Sekirei Plan. How will it change the entire thing? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**AN:** I've had this idea bouncing around in my skull for a while now, so I ran the original past my pal Mr. AnimeKidd, and we tweaked things around. So now I present the first chapter of: Naruto - Bonds Anew.

One thing I will make clear now: I will not give Naruto more than five Sekirei. None of those five will come from Sahashi Minato's "flock". So no Musubi, Kusano, Matsu, Tsukiumi, Kazehana, Homura, or Kuruse (who apparently exists only in the game). If I took from them it would make my job too easy.

Also must note that this is a side project at this time, my main focus will still be on Master of His Fate.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 01**

A blonde man walked down a small street, wet from recent rainfall that cleared only a few minutes prior. He stood just under six feet in height, with the lithe movements of an athlete, but the body of a fighter. His spiky sunshine blonde hair caught what few rays were peaking through the clouds, and his tanned skin denoted a fair amount of time spent in the outdoors. His cerulean blue eyes held a spark of life rarely seen in this day, and just beneath them were three horizontal marks upon each cheek, reminiscent of whiskers. He wore a simple set of blue jeans with white shirt, gray sneakers and a burnt orange hooded jacket. Around his neck sat a strange green crystal on a leather strap. To finish his look he had an odd looking scroll attached to his belt at the right hip. Over his right shoulder hung a heavy-duty canvas duffel.

Uzumaki Naruto was looking for a place to stay. He had recently arrived in this city of Tokyo, and he had no actual plan in mind for his tenure. He was wandering, paying his way usually through doing various odd jobs for whomever he lived with at any time. He figured he could visit his original stomping grounds. Then he heard something he could not ignore: the sound of a woman crying.

Stopping in his tracks, he took a quick look around and recognized the area. He was in front of a western church, with an attached graveyard. Walking around to the entrance of the yard, Naruto spied a head of violet hair bent over in front of what could only be a new headstone. This was obviously the source of the sound, as there was no one else in the small cemetery that he could see.

He moved over the kneeling woman slowly, and noting her rain-slicked state he quickly removed his jacket, letting it fall over her shoulders. The woman's head snapped up to meet his gaze so fast he momentarily thought she might get whiplash. Raising his hands to show he no other motives, Naruto took a few steps back.

"Whomever this is, I doubt they would want you taking ill because of them. Use that to warm yourself, Ma'am. I'll wait by the entrance, if you would like some company on your way home when you're finished here." His voice was even, measured, and calm. It soothed the stare of the obviously distraught woman.

Nodding her head, the woman turned back to the grave-site with a muttered thanks. Naruto accepted it and moved himself back to the entrance, crossing his arms to retain some semblance of warmth for himself. He didn't know where he had come across this weakness for crying women, but damned if there weren't times he cursed it. In this case though, he could understand.

Naruto had not been born to this world, he woke here, in this very city, nearly six years ago. He had no idea how or why he was there, he just was. The last thing he could remember was his village burning, a madman terrorizing and destroying everything in sight. Then Naruto's beloved Hinata, a woman he had been about to celebrate an anniversary with that same day, threw herself in front of him, followed by an endless darkness. After that he had found himself covered in blood and dirt and filth, in an alley not far from his current location. The priest of this church had discovered Naruto rooting through his pantry looking for something to eat, and looking like the stereotyped homeless teen, just with the addition of blood on him.

Father Hideo, as the priest had been called, was an elderly man with a full white beard and tonsure. He dressed in the black robes of his calling, and made no excuses. He said he was a man of the Old Faith, from before modern idiocies. Naruto had no idea what he spoke of at that time, and it mattered little to him. As far as Naruto was concerned Father Hideo was awesome. The priest had taken him in, cleaned him up, fed him, then began teaching him when Naruto admitted he had no idea what was going on. They shared stories, Father Hideo told him of the world he found himself in, and Naruto spoke of his previous world.

The church doors opened slowly, the same priest from so long ago exiting, probably to tend the gravestones. Seeing the young blonde man his eyes lit up with a life that many would believe impossible in a man of his obviously advanced age. Making his way over to the younger man, the old priest raised his hand in both greeting and welcome.

"Father Hideo! It's a pleasure to see you again." Naruto's exclamation came out hushed, so as to not disturb the praying woman.

"Ah, Naruto. I see time has been kind to you. It does an old man good to see the young doing well." the old man paused a moment to glance where Naruto's gaze was resting. Speaking again, the Father's tone was low and kind, as he too did not wish to disturb the woman. "A tragedy, that. Young man, not much older than yourself, caught in an explosion during the testing of some new super-computer, or so we're told. His wife of only a year, and now his widow, Asama Miya, visits him monthly. Used to be daily, then weekly. Over the past year and a half she seems to be healing. How well though, only she truly knows."

Nodding his head in understanding, Naruto maintained his silence a few moments longer, before offering a full salute to the fallen laying within the yard. He had his own burdens to bear, but he could respect the trials of those buried here, and those they left behind.

"I have the money for the plot of land, Father," Naruto began only to stop at the slowly shaking head of the priest. Tilting his head in question, he waited.

"I set aside that plot years ago, when you first asked for it. Consider it one last gift from an old man, hm?" Father Hideo said, surprising the young man beside him, and for once the elderly priest enjoyed seeing someone gobsmacked.

"I-I don't know what to say, but thank you, Father." Naruto replied a few moments later in gratitude. He had no idea that the old man would do this. Naruto had merely wanted to plot to put up his own Memorial Stone, with all the names of those from his old world that gave their lives for their home. Names no one else would ever know or care about.

At this thought a tear escaped Naruto's eye, coursing it's solitary way down his cheek. He knew he was stuck here, in this world, but he hoped that by having that stone he could lay to rest some of his past. Now all he had to do was finish it. He would carve it personally, it would be meaningless if allowed another to do the work. Besides, despite the spoken languages being the same, from his world and this country, the written forms were apparently just different enough that he would have to do the work himself anyway. It would still be legible to anyone here, but it was otherwise an "ancient" form of the language. Thankfully he didn't have many names left to add.

Taking a quick look over at the woman, he saw she was standing and moving toward the Father and himself. _'Duh, of course she's coming this way, it's the only way in or out without jumping a fence.'_

He could have kicked himself for forgetting that.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

While Naruto was getting reacquainted with the old Father, the woman returned to her prayers. However, she found it difficult to keep her thoughts on her deceased husband. The reason? The blonde man that had loaned her the jacket that now warmed her previously cold frame.

Asama Miya was not a woman given to flight of fancy. This young man's sudden appearance in her life should not have had this large of an impact. With that piece of information,the violet haired beauty understood what was happening. The Bond between Sekirei and Ashikabi was being formed.

It shouldn't be possible! Miya was Sekirei Zero-One, the Pillar, the strongest of the Sekirei, and their "Queen". There shouldn't exist a mortal man capable of being her Ashikabi, her true Destined Partner. She had thought that her marriage to Asama Takehito would be the closest thing she would get to the feeling of the Bond, and that marriage was purely a platonic love. Simple admiration, and appreciation. No physical aspect was involved between Takehito and herself, not like there would be with an Ashikabi.

Of course that proved to be a problem for Miya, because it would mean a betrayal of all she held dear with Takehito. She had never been physical with him, not even so much as a kiss on the cheek. The closest she could say they had come was sleeping in the same bed a few times, and even then they had stayed on their respective sides.

Now this young man had appeared, out of nowhere, while she was telling Takehito about the past month's happenings at Maison Izumo, the Inn she now ran in his memory. There wasn't anything really new going on, but she made it a point to visit, no matter the weather. But now... Now she was having a small moment of crisis.

The Bond was undeniable. Should she try, it would only cause her incredible pain and loneliness, and those same issues would reverberate down the fledgeling Bond to her Ashikabi, making the both of them miserable. So she obviously could not attempt to deny it. She could attempt to _delay_ it though. He was obviously without a place to go right now if that duffel she noticed earlier was any indication, and she ran an Inn. She could offer him a place for a while, maybe play it off as gratitude for his concern.

Her mind worked furiously to see just how feasible the idea really was. It held promise, as she wouldn't be outright denying the Bond, she would have time to get to know the man. If she knew anything detrimental about him there was a possibility -unlikely as it was- that the Bond would destroy itself and never fully form. Then she would be able to go back to properly mourning her former husband.

It wasn't as though she disliked the blonde man, but she had never wanted an Ashikabi, and she refused to believe that there was a person outside her late husband that could grant her the wings of her race. Sekirei could only obtain their wings with their rightful Ashikabi, if the forming Bond with this man was destroyed she deemed it fully impossible for any other to ever come close to Winging her.

Bringing herself back to the present she slowly stood and turned to face the man in question, and was somewhat surprised to see him conversing with the aged Father of the church that tended these graves. Father Hideo, if she remembered correctly. She was ashamed to admit she wasn't really paying attention during their talks, she had been concentrating on Takehito's grave or death, or something else to deal with the upkeep of the Inn.

Walking toward the two men at a sedate pace, she tried to form the words she wanted. Her purple hakama and white kimono top were fairly dry now, enough that she wouldn't catch cold -Miya wasn't even sure if Sekirei _could_ catch cold-, but the longer she stared at the blonde the less the words she wanted would form. By the time she had actually made it to them she was able to force a smile.

It was too bad that, judging by the blonde's expression, she was easily seen through. In any case Miya forced herself to remove the jacket -despite her body's protest to losing the warmth of his scent- and held it out to the man.

"Thank you for the use of your jacket, I don't need it any more." Miya's voice was clipped and precise, and without the warmth of the smile that was plastered on her face. This was not going as well as she had hoped. But then she wasn't sure exactly what she had expected.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto saw the fake smile the woman -Miya, he reminded himself- plastered on her face. He was a Master of faking a happy facade, he held one for most of his younger life, so seeing through such a poorly crafted one was beyond easy. Then there was her maybe-lie about the loan of his jacket, there was sincerity there, just not enough for that smile. So she did appreciate the loan, but there was something wrong. He could feel it.

Naruto had always been one to make bonds easily with others who had been in any kind of situation that created feelings of pain, abandonment, depression, etc. It had been one of his defining traits in his home 'verse. And it hadn't changed since coming here. He could easily tell that the woman was trying to reject something she found painful, and that it probably had something to do with his presence.

The question in Naruto's mind, however, was just what that issue could be. To the best of his knowledge he had never met or even _seen_ this woman before. So what was it about him that was causing her distress? Whatever her reason, he took his jacket back, his fingers brushing hers for a few moments by accident.

Miya jumped and snapped her hand back quickly. Was she afraid of men being in physical contact? He'd heard something about that once. Androphobia, the fear of men. Was it that, or did she just not like being touched? Haphephobia, was it?*

Putting his jacket back on Naruto rubbed his forehead a few times. This was getting him nowhere, just speculating wouldn't help him at all. Well if she didn't want him around, he would leave. He had learned that the plot for the memorial stone was already his, he now needed to find a place.

"Ah, Miya-san, It does this old man's heart good to see you again." Father Hideo spoke up before Naruto could excuse himself. The old priest had taught Naruto many things when he had first arrived, one being that simply walking off was incredibly rude.

"Ufufu, oh Father, are you hitting on this poor widow?" Miya's laugh felt a little strained, as though it was something she would normally use, but for whatever reason there was something else on her mind.

"Oh? Is that what this old man is doing? I suppose I should apologize then." A small twinkle of mirth entered the old man's eye. "I was actually going to ask if Maison Izumo still held open rooms. Young Naruto here, doesn't have a place to stay and I when I saw you I couldn't help but think it was Divine Providence."

A true smile appeared on her face for the fist time since Naruto first laid eyes on her. "Of course, Maison Izumo shall never turn away those in need." Miya's voice seemed to have calmed down. so maybe Naruto was wrong about that phobia idea? Internally shrugging he figured that as long as he had a place to sleep he wouldn't really care much about the eccentricities of his landlord, or landlady as the case may be.

"Well, that shortened my search." Making eye contact with Miya, Naruto gave a small smile. "So I guess I'll be in your care, Miya-san. Uzumaki Naruto is my name, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Miya blinked several times, a small unnoticeable blush coloring her cheeks. Why did he have to be so polite? It was making disliking him that much harder. "No problem at all, Uzumaki-san, as I said, Maison Izumo shall never turn away those in need. Of course, there is still the matter of payment, but the rooms are reasonably priced at fifty-thousand Yen per month." Her voice was cool and sweet, with a small hint of something Naruto couldn't quite place, and it made his heart beat a little faster. Dear Kami, this woman was beautiful.

NO! NO! Bad Naruto! Finish the Memorial, _then_ ogle Landlady! Wait, no that still wasn't right. What was wrong with him all of a sudden? It wasn't like him to just want to push a woman against a building and kiss her til she was gasping... WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?!

Shaking his head, Naruto tuned back into the conversation, hoping those strange thoughts would just vanish. A possibly forlorn hope, but it was hope nonetheless. And he had the feeling he was going need all the hope he could get in the coming days.

"Ah, good, good. It does this old man's heart good to see people helping each other in these trying times." Father Hideo sounded impossibly sincere, so obviously he had set them up. This was a man of the cloth? Miya sighed, no this was a bored old man who never got laid. Wait, WHY DID SHE THINK THAT?! She wasn't Matsu! Sex shouldn't be a cure for anything! Maybe she should just take her new tenant and leave before any more un-Miya-like thoughts invaded her mind.

"Well, if that's all Father, I should be going. Dinner still needs to be made." Miya made a graceful excuse to get away from the embarrassing priest. She needed to get away, to be alone with Naruto and ravage his mouth with hers... DAMMIT! It was happening again! Miya was fast becoming annoyed with both the quick-forming Bond, and the young man for being the source of her current problem. She was Sekirei Zero-One! The Pillar! She shouldn't be reacting to anyone!

Miya's frustration was clearly evident as she walked away, followed at a safe distance by the blonde. Naruto's mind was whirling as well, though his thoughts were more focused on the completion of his Memorial Stone. Only a few more names, he could be done sometime in the coming week. Both of them were oblivious to the Father's knowing smirk, oh those poor souls who had lost their way. ... Maybe they should walk a little faster?

It didn't take long for them to arrive at the house-turned-Inn, and upon seeing it Naruto was hit with an air of familiarity. A simple two-story building in the classical Japanese style, strangely reminiscent of his own home in the Elemental Nations, with the second floor for the bedrooms, and everything else on the first floor. An air of welcoming surrounded the building, as if greeting a long-absent family member.

"I like this place already, and I haven't even set foot inside." Naruto's statement was murmured softly, a simple thought meant only for himself. However, it appeared that his new Landlady had very sharp ears.

"I'm glad." Miya had a true smile upon her face, and Naruto decided she looked her most beautiful like that. Turning and giving Naruto a formal bow, Miya opened the front door. "Welcome Home, to Maison Izumo. May you ever find peace within these walls."

Naruto blinked. That was a very old -even in his world- way of welcoming a guest. So old, he momentarily forgot the proper answer, but then again, manners had never been his forte. "Ah, yes. My thanks are given for the hospitality of the house, may you ever be blessed for your generosity." See what he meant? Formal, ugh. Not mention antiquated, that kind of thing hadn't been used in this world for nearly two hundred years according to Father Hideo. It had apparently begun dying out sometime around the Renaissance period.

Why did he have to get the overly formal Landlady?

"Ufufu, I'm surprised you know the proper response, Uzumaki-san. It's a very old greeting, after all." Miya found herself impressed. It was rare to see a young man with such a polite attitude in this day.

"Uh, yeah, the Father used to use something similar a few years back, and I managed to remember it." Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He wasn't really lying, Father Hideo _did_ use that kind of greeting in his church, Naruto generally didn't listen though.

They entered the house, removing their footwear in the entrance as was proper, then Miya showed him upstairs to a room labeled '202'. "This will be your room, Uzumaki-san. Breakfast is at seven in the morning, sharp, lunch is served at twelve noon, and dinner is at six in the evening. The rules of the house are simple: no lewd acts, and no violence within these walls. Are we clear?" Miya's voice was deceptively gentle, a dark purple miasma of some sort was forming into a hannya mask behind her left shoulder.

It wasn't really terrifying, but Naruto nodded anyway. He might not be scared of it, but that thing was just plain weird. The less he saw of it, the better. Although he wold admit to a small amount of curiosity as to just how that thing was made. Was it purely illusionary, or was there a physical aspect as well? He might have to study it at a later date. But for now, Naruto silently handed over enough for a three-month stay, certain that he could easily keep up the payments.

Miya left Naruto to his new room, and he stepped inside. Quickly glancing around, feeling as though he was being watched. Searching the room he found no less than ten small hidden cameras, and fifteen small listening devices... Paranoid much? Destroying them seemed to be too easy, so instead he quietly put them away into the drawer of a desk that was provided for the use of the room's occupant. He then applied a small seal to keep the drawer closed, he'd deal with them later.

Trying to spy on a man trained by perhaps the greatest spymaster of all time? Not necessarily the best of choices. Of course, they wouldn't know about that, but still, the pride was there and he had uphold it. Jiraiya would want it no other way. Unless the spy happened to be beautiful, busty, well over-proportioned woman -just down the hall a red-haired person sneezed- in which case his old teacher would have put on several shows just to mess with them.

Naruto looked at the clock on the desk -just how many things came with this room, anyway?- and saw that it was currently four in the afternoon. Two hours til dinner, so he set about putting his things away in the complementary dresser. Then he unrolled the scroll he carried, he looked over the otherwise illegible scribbles -to anyone else- and smiled fondly as he remembered learning to make Seals and such from Jiraiya. The man may have been a pervert without equal -the redhead down the hall sneezed again- but he knew his seals. Shaking the memories away, Naruto went down the scroll, releasing a few items he figured he may want on hand. Most of everything else stayed within the seals though, there were things he either didn't need, or didn't want to be caught with and asked about.

It took him roughly an hour to get the room set up, and seeing he still had about an hour til dinner, he grabbed a set of bath items, and headed downstairs -though not before placing a small locking Seal on his door-. If this place was anything like he thought, it would have it's little bathhouse, in the traditional Japanese style.

Finding the kitchen in his search, Naruto got confirmation that there was, indeed, a bathhouse -or furo as some would call it- on the premises, and that it should be empty at the moment. Perfect. He quickly managed to locate his objective, entered, stripped, and set about cleaning himself of the day's grime, before settling in for a good soak. Though he took the precaution of searching the place for more of those cameras and listening devices, thankfully not finding any.

Later, sitting at the table in the dining room, Naruto reflected that this was as good a place to stay as any before. The fact he was eating alone with his beautiful, widowed Landlady was something of a bonus. The dinner wasn't anything special, just typical Japanese fare, but it tasted incredible. The perks of many years of practice, he guessed.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

All throughout that first week Naruto found himself busy doing odd jobs around the Inn for Miya. Changing light-bulbs, fixing the roof tiles, helping to plant a small herb garden, carrying groceries for her. And in the evenings he would work on carving names into a stone block, taking the greatest care. And all the while, Miya watched him with a strange expression, one part disappointment, two parts frustration, and what seemed to be seven parts interest, as though she was expecting something and got the exact opposite.

The last evening of that week in Maison Izumo found Naruto sitting on the veranda, carving names from his past into a large blue-black stone of unknown material that had been carved into sharp lines, using some incredibly small tools. Each name he carved was done with patience and absolute care. He couldn't afford to mess this up, if he did he would start all over, having to find another copy of this stone. Yeah, that wasn't going to happen, as far as Naruto knew this was the only one of it's kind.

Taking a brief pause in his work, Naruto looked up at the sky. A full moon hung among the stars that he could see. There was something he didn't like about this world; the city lights interfered with star gazing. He had never been an avid watcher, but he did take a certain amount of solace in seeing each one as a flame of hope.

The sound of someone walking toward reached his ears, looking around he caught sight of Miya behind him, a tray with two cups and a pot of tea -he assumed it was tea- in her hands. As she sat down she said, "I thought you could do with a small refreshment."

Pouring the tea -it appeared he had been correct- she passed one cup before pouring one for herself. They sat there for a time, just sipping tea and looking at the stars. And for the moment they were content in the silence and companionship. Then she opened that pretty little mouth of hers, and it dropped straight of the cliff known as "Fuck It All".

"So what are you carving? You've been at it for a wile now." Miya asked, effectively ruining Naruto's peaceful mood.

Suddenly a sombre air filled the silence. "It's a memorial."

"Memorial? To what or whom?" Curiosity was almost rampant in her voice.

"To friends and family lost, never to be seen or heard from again. Each of these names, "Naruto traced a few of the carvings, "is someone who gave their lives so I, and others, could continue to live. This is all I can do for them as, according to the government, not one of us legitimately exists." Naruto wasn't lying in the least. As far as any government of _this_ world was concerned neither he nor his friends existed. They were ghosts, memories left to rot in their home.

Miya had to blink at that. "Do not legitimately exist" was an ambiguous term, one not used lightly. It was typically used only when sending someone on a covert black operation that the government could not acknowledge as being sanctioned. As such they erased the person's very identity from all forms of identification. Was Naruto a former government assassin? Could she finally have found something that would repulse her ever-growing feelings for the blonde man?

Naruto's tracing finger stopped on the latest name he had carved: Uzumaki-Hyuuga Hinata. Miya noticed it was done in a slightly more cursive hand than the rest, as if it had more weight to it. Just by the name she could tell that this person was probably his former wife or lover. Was this perhaps the reason she felt he understood her so well? He too had lost his most-loved person? Or was it still something else?

"Some will be missed more dearly than others. She-she died in front of me, covering me with her own corpse so the enemy would overlook me. Our children were piled on top of us, dead. Then those bastards set fire to us all." Naruto was reciting in a dulled tone of a dead man, Miya's soft gasp of horror going unheard.

Someone slaughtered his home, then set fire to them all? But, looking at the stone in front of him, there were _so many names!_ Each side was filled to capacity in vertical rows of four. The stone itself had nine faces, each face looked to hold so many names it boggled Miya's mind. Then she latched onto an odd piece of his story.

"But, if you were burned, why don't you have a single scar on you other than those 'whiskers'?" Her question was quiet, but it pierced the veil of the night like a spear.

"These aren't scars, Miya-san." He traced the odd marks on his face. "I've had them since birth, they were to set me apart, to mark me as different. The very same power that marked me, is what kept me from being burned to death that day, but you are wrong twice. I do have scars upon my body, Miya-san." Naruto removed his long-sleeved shirt to reveal three other scars. The first, and most noticeable, was almost directly over his heart, with a matching scar on his back. How did he survive that? The second scar that drew her eye was an odd-shaped puncture wound where his right kidney was. Another fatal mark, how did he accumulate these?

The third, and final, scar was the red section of skin along his right arm from his shoulder to just above his wrist, the aftermath of a terrible burn that sloughed off flesh and muscle. Miya's horrified gaze couldn't help but be drawn to these obvious symbols of pain. And yet, even before her eyes she could swear that his arm was starting to get lighter in color, as if it was even now being healed. but that was impossible, he would have to not be human...

Miya's thoughts ground to a halt. Not human. Could it really be that simple? Could Naruto, like her, not come from this world? He obviously wasn't a Sekirei like her, no Sekirei could react to another Sekirei, but perhaps something just as alien. It would make sense, as there was no way she should be able to react to a _human_ as her Ashikabi. That left non-human.

Her heart beating faster still, Miya clasped her hands on either side of his face, bringing her eyes closer to his. "What are you?" Her voice was like a breath of wind, her eyes betraying both excitement and trepidation. "What are you, Uzumaki Naruto, to get my dormant self to react this strongly to you in such a short time?"

Her voice, her very being would not be denied, she admitted to herself that she had come to love this man over the course of the week. She would allow him to become her Husband, her Destined One, but she would also be damned if she didn't get at least this answer from him.

Naruto just looked back into her eyes with all the determination he could muster. "The Last of the Shinobi people of the Elemental Nations."

With that declaration Miya's lips moved in and captured his, bright wings of violet light bursting forth from her back in response. The caring, concern, and sincerity this man had shown in the past week were utterly noble. There was no deception in the words he spoke. A man of honor such as what he had displayed was beyond rare in this day among humankind.

Pulling away slightly Miya looked into the startled cerulean eyes of her Ashikabi. "I am Sekirei Zero-One, Miya. May we find redemption and joy together even as we seek to let go of our respective pasts. From this day forth unto Forever, I shall stand by you. Your enemies shall be mine, and my enemies shall be yours, Ashikabi-sama, my new Beloved."

Naruto sat there, stunned beyond comprehension. Miya, his new Landlady, had managed to get close to him, then somehow forced the words from his lips, followed by a kiss that resulted in wings of light sprouting from her back, and now she was saying something about "Ashikabi"? Yeah, he was lost.

So, Naruto went to his age-old return, a response that never failed him: "Um, wha?" Ah yes, surprisingly verbose, let it not be said that Naruto didn't have a flair for the moment.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

Father Hideo is an OC created for this story. He will not have a large role, in point of fact, outside of this chapter I will most likely not even reference him often. As far as I know there is no anime character by the name "Father Hideo", if I'm wrong ... well it ain't him.

*Haphephobia: the fear of touch, is a rare problem and can be devastating to any kind of relationship, whether romantic or not.

I would like to state once more, this is a SIDE project. Whenever something new for this pops in my skull I'll write, but don't expect any kind of regular updates.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN:** I've had someone "beg" me to go Full Time with this story. I would like to clarify what I meant by "Side Story". This is something nebulous in my head, I have almost no plans for it whatsoever, as such it's something I work on when I'm stumped in my Main Story, which is currently Master of His Fate. In other words, I'm working on both simultaneously, it's just one has higher priority for me at this time. It may change between the two.

Next topic: the Harem. I have had people say they don't want Akitsu because she is "always used". Let me ask you people something. Look at my LONG list of favorite stories, search for those with Sekirei in the crossover. Does it look like I care if Akitsu is used so much? The answer is no. I love Akitsu, just as I love Hinata. Do I give a rat's ass if you do? NO. If you don't like it, go read something else.

Shout out to my man, Mr AnimeKidd for his continued help with both of my stories.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or Sekirei.

**Chapter 02: Let's make things FUBAR!**

Mid Bio Informatics, or MBI for short, was a multi-billion dollar corporation specializing in the research and development of technology. Everything from music players, to vehicle engines, to medical equipment, if it was technology MBI was at the forefront. Their headquarters was a tall clock-tower styled building in the very center of Tokyo. Coincidentally it was also the tallest building in the city.

The man behind all of this was one Hiroto Minaka. A relatively tall, lanky, white-haired man with a flair for the dramatic, an IQ supposedly somewhere above two hundred, and an insanity to make the Devil jealous. The man was certifiable, in more ways than one. Genius and madman, the difference between the two was typically up to those viewing the results. In this case though, madman was the general consensus.

Many considered a genius to be a person who instinctively understood the concepts within the proverbial box, and then saw beyond it. Hiroto Minaka was the kind of genius better described as one who asked "what box?" To him, there was no division between greatness and whatever else he saw himself as. ... Seriously, no one wanted to know what went on that head of his, they all had the distinct impression they would be horribly scarred for life or locked away in mental institutions.

Behind him stood the unparallelled patience and understanding of Sahashi Takami. A woman whose very presence could inspire both confidence and fear in even the most panicked of individual. The only one who seemed immune was Hiroto, why that was, however, was up for debate.

Takami was a tall woman, with gray hair that fell about her shoulders in no truly discernible style. her usual attire consisted of black slacks, white button-up shirt, white lab coat, and comfortable loafers. Her primary role in MBI was the organization of all information, going in and out. As such she was head of the Research and Development department.

All of this was something of a front for the company, however, as they were the ones secretly behind a city-wide event they had taken to calling "The Sekirei Plan". To facilitate this plan, MBI was slowly buying up all the land withing Tokyo. It would be so much easier to control what was to occur if they owned the entire city, but even they realized that some places would simply not sell out. So they were gong for land first, then they would try for buildings. It was slow-paced plan that had Minaka chomping at the proverbial bit, but thankfully Takami was able to keep him on track. They currently owned approximately sixty percent of the land Tokyo stood upon.

Also a required aspect for this plan of theirs was a large room with multiple monitors and a giant screen displaying all of the currently released Sekirei. There weren't many, only ten had been released at this point. Each time a Sekirei was given their wings, a picture displaying them and their new Ashikabi would pop up on the large screen giving all the data MBI could possibly hope to need about them.

Which is why, within this large room, panic had settled in. Miya, Sekirei Zero-One, had been winged. It wasn't supposed to be possible, but by the fact that her picture had popped up next to the image of a blonde man with scars on each cheek, it had happened. That was only part of their panic, however. The rest stemmed from the fact that they had nothing on this man, not even his name. The image itself was from a security camera at the train station earlier that same morning.

Apparently the man had either lived in a cave his entire life, was old enough to have never been electronically registered -unlikely given his twenty-ish looks-, was some kind of Black Ops so important that the government kept all files strictly paper -also unlikely-, or he was simply that good at dodging the system. That last one held the most promise in Takami's mind as she went about restoring order.

"Calm yourselves!" The gray haired woman shouted above the cacophony. "We're MBI! There is no way we have absolutely nothing on this man! I want everything! Age, date of birth, place of birth, blood type, NAME! And I want it YESTERDAY!"

Oddly this shouting of demands restored things to normal quickly. Humans always were a herd-like race, grateful for any kind of direction when nothing was going the way they expected. Takami reflected sourly that in that way the Bible's reference to a priest being "shepard to the flock" was an entirely accurate simile. Her musings were interrupted by an obnoxious laugh from none other than the current bane of her existence: Hiroto Minaka.

"Haha! How amusing! An unknown player has entered the game early! How fun!" Minaka's face was set into an impossibly wide grin of amusement. There were many times Takami honestly considered killing the man for that damned laugh, and his absolutely childish reasons for doing anything.

"You think this is funny, you lunatic?!" Apparently Takami was not in the mood to deal with his eccentricities.

"Of course! A complete unknown, a Dark Horse if ever there was one! Just think about the fun he'll bring to the game! Oh, I wonder how many other birds he'll gather to himself." Minaka was practically cackling. Very disturbing, and the people in the room realized just how far gone they were that it barely registered anymore.

"Now is not the time for your insanity, Minaka!" The woman reprimanded. This ability of his to ignore even the biggest problems in favor of his own amusement was incredibly frustrating. "This unknown man has waltzed straight into our organized plan, and screwed it over by winging perhaps the _most_ powerful Sekirei! One we were certain could never gain her wings simply _because_ she is so strong! And you stand here cackling?!"

"What's wrong with that, Takami-kun?"* Grin still in place, Minaka threw his arms wide in dramatic fashion. "With no surprises there is no fun! Without the unknown factors there is no discovery! With this we have found a man who has otherwise managed to escape the notice of every government. I would dearly love to know just how he managed that." This last part was said with an unusually serious air as the man rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Meanwhile, you could hear a rhythmic thumping in the background. If one was to look they would see one Sahashi Takami trying to give herself a concussion by hitting the wall repeatedly with her head.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto was staring at Miya from across the small table in the dining room. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. There would have to be madman, that was just par for the course with they way Naruto's life was, so no shock there. What he did _not_ expect, however, was the plan to set free one hundred and eight super-powered beings not native to the planet, then have them fight for the right to remain with their chosen slash Destined loved one. That made him ill, if the Sekirei lost they were forcefully removed from the one they spent all that time with.

Now Naruto was a rather sentimental person, give him a sob story and he cries, give him a horror story and he's freaked, give him an injustice and he's righteously pissed off. This "Sekirei Plan", as explained to him in the hours before dawn by Miya, was an affront to his sensibilities. He would not, _could not_, let this go unimpeded.

Unfortunately the first idea that came to mind, namely charging straight into MBI and demanding they stop this absurdity, was quickly tossed out the proverbial window. They had no reason to listen to him as he had nothing they would want. Well they would probably go ape-shit over his DNA, but he wasn't about to allow them access to that. Chakra was something this world didn't need, and if given the chance would most likely abuse it as badly as his own.

Oddly enough the Sekirei all seemed to some small amount of chakra, though it came from a small "core" implanted within them. Where their race got their hands on those cores, Naruto had no clue. It wasn't majorly important, and Miya didn't have the answer for him either, so he figured it could be put on the back burner.

The second idea to come to him seemed workable. Participate in the "Game", but by _his_ rules instead of Minaka's. Though this idea worked best with Miya's cooperation. He knew she said she would be by his side, but just how far did that promise really go? He didn't doubt her sincerity, he could feel her through that "Bond" she had spoken of, but he wondered just what she would think of the idea. Seeing no other recourse at the moment, he knuckled down and asked.

"Miya, I have to ask, if I were to ... 'Participate' in this game, would you help me?" Seeing her quickly deteriorating expression, he rushed on. "Not to gather Sekirei as if they were prizes, or resources, or even to win, but to disrupt as much as we can."

Miya gained a thoughtful look. There was merit in the idea. A fair amount. She had to wonder though, just what he had in mind. So she asked, and his response did not disappoint her.

"Why, Miya, I thought you knew. I was once the Prankmaster from Hell, lousing up Minaka's plan, is really like one giant prank on the man." Naruto's face gained an absolute vulpine look, those whiskers of his aiding tremendously in this feat. "We don't have to fight just yet, but there's nothing saying we can't stop forced winging in our area, or in general. There's nothing stopping us from managing to destroy the fickle Bonds formed by those forced wingings either. I even have an idea on just how to go about it."

"What about possible 'scrapped numbers'?" Miya voiced the title like it was poison, but she felt it was a valid question. Scrapped Numbers were those who either did not get their wings properly, or were simply incapable of being winged. She already knew of one such who was still in the labs undergoing tests to see if there was a technological answer. She had explained all this to Naruto before, and wanted his opinion.

"If I could examine this Sekirei Crest, I could possibly find out just how it works." Naruto mused aloud. It wasn't impossible. From what he had seen briefly on Miya's back the Crests were similar in concept to fuinjutsu. And every Uzumaki born had an aptitude for that art, himself included.

Miya's eyebrows shot straight up past her bangs. "What do you mean, 'how they work'? They are part of us, and as far as I know always have been."

Naruto shook his head. "No, I'm pretty sure someone else put those there. Though I don't have a clue who would have that kind of skill."

Miya's hands trembled as she held them on top of the table, before standing resolutely, turning around and dropping the collar of her kimono to past her shoulders, showing the very mark that was proof of her Bond with the blonde.

"If you just need to examine it, mine should do, yes?" Her voice was controlled, but there was an uncertainty to it. As if this act took a great deal of her courage. Of course, Naruto realized that she had only just accepted him, there was still the emotional bond she had with her late husband. Showing herself like this was almost like being naked in his presence. It was a major step in trust.

Standing and moving around the table, Naruto kept his eyes on the mark. Lightly touching a finger to it he imparted a bare fraction of chakra, not even enough for a typical illusionary Clone technique. The mark seemingly opened, and in a rush of information a great many ideas, thoughts, words, and things otherwise unfathomable entered Naruto's mind. With a cry of surprise and pain he let go of the Crest.

_'Okay. Maybe that was a bad idea.'_ Was the last thought Naruto had before unconsciousness claimed him.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Once again alarms sounded within MBI. Someone had attempted to remove a Sekirei Crest, but failed. It couldn't have been a Sekirei, they were all aware that they had to chant a phrase with the word "Ashikabi" in it to deactivate one of their siblings. So that left a human, but who would be so brazen as to try to fiddle with one the Crests?

Takami hoped nothing came of this situation. She didn't think she could handle any more surprises today. Or this _year_ for that matter. Their earlier search on Zero-One's Ashikabi had turned up only two things: a name, and an occupation.

Name: Uzumaki Naruto.

Occupation: Author.

Apparently he was the writer of a popular new book series that had started up about six years ago. A book series that had exploded in popularity with male readers, and more recently with a fair few females as it took a more refined turn into a newer set. The first set was easily recognizable by it's bright orange cover, the second -and more recent- set had a dark blue cover and was the one most sought after by the ladies. Why would Takami know this? She may be an owner of both sets... but she certainly didn't carry a copy in the inside pocket of her lab coat. No, that would be the height of unprofessionalism.

This Uzumaki was a ghost otherwise. He didn't exist outside a rather lucrative payout in cash by his publisher. No wonder he wasn't in the systems. He didn't even use his real name when he wrote, calling himself "Jiraiya". They knew it was fake because the man had used his real name in the interview. Why would they know what happened in the interview? Because the publisher Naruto used had their security in the MBI network.

Granted what they did was considered an invasion of privacy, but they were already breaking laws by controlling the police to ignore the goings on with the plan, so what did they care? Takami took a small bottle from within her coat and quickly down three pills before returning it. She was gonna need those headache pills, she just knew it.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto woke to Miya's concerned expression hovering over his face, his head apparently laying in her lap. "Ow. Miya, please make a note that was a bad idea. And please, stop me if I ever think it a good one again." He groaned as he tried to sit up, only to be held down gently by his new "life partner".

"Naruto-kun, believe me when I say it would be best to continue resting for now. I don't know what exactly happened to you, but I know our Bond has become even stronger for it. We both will need time to terms with it again." Miya's voice was soft and filled with concern and affection. Then she did something he didn't expect his strict, but undeniably nice, Sekirei to do. She leaned over and kissed him. Upside down, complete with tongue.

Oi, Oi, OI! JUST WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED?!

Naruto was understandably confused. Miya had stated not that long ago -in his mind- that she wouldn't really be interested in any kind of physical contact between them for at least several more months. So what was she doing kissing him from what had to be a very uncomfortable position? And were those moans she was giving out now? Oh crap, she was shifting around to laying on top of him! How did she never break the kiss to do that? Oh, who cares? The pressing issue of air was what Naruto really had his attention on. He needed to breathe, and he was pretty sure Miya did too.

Maybe his confusion translated across the Bond, maybe it was his lack of reciprocation, and maybe she decided air would be a good idea, but Miya finally broke the kiss, her wings bursting out behind her again. Then she just lay upon his right side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't know why, but I want to be closer to you. I want to feel like other Sekirei with their Ashikabi. And I don't want to let you go alone, so I'll support you with everything I am. My beloved Ashikabi." Miya's voice was soft, smooth, gentle and soothing, doing a great deal to calm Naruto's nerves. If he could have seen her eyes, he would have seen them flash with a lavender tint for an instant.

This relationship with Miya could easily be seen as a kind of betrayal of his beloved Hinata. However, Naruto knew, Hinata would want him to live and love again. He would finish the stone, only two names left, then he would devote himself to this new life he has been given. It was only proper to remember the past as he moved forward to his future, so long as he was not bound by it.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Up in a dark, hidden room, a red haired woman was watching the unfolding events in the dining hall of Maison Izumo with a a wolf-like grin. She would be absolutely certain to hold this over Miya's head later. It set precedents for the redhead's own future experiments.

Matsu, Sekirei Zero-Two, Brain-type, and certifiable genius was glad for one other thing. She wasn't reacting to Miya's Ashikabi. That could have been a disaster, even if this non-reaction was somewhat strange.

A man capable of winging Miya should have enough power and presence to call pretty much every other Sekirei to him. But for some reason, Matsu felt nothing. Oh well, she could still use the footage as blackmail against her Landlady.

Evil cackling was soon leaving the redheaded woman's mouth at a low volume. Oh, yes, Miya would be putty in Matsu's hands!

Matsu felt a sudden frisson of fear race up her spine. Checking the monitors in front of her again, she found Miya _and_ this new man -Naruto?- staring straight at one of her cameras, both somehow using that evil Hannya Mask Technique that scared Matsu so much.

NO! THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE!

Matsu fainted with a foam-like spittle covering her lips.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto turned to face Miya a moment after Matsu fainted. "Not that I mind double-teaming that person with you, Miya, but is there a reason we both had to use that hannya thing?"

"Ufufu, but of course, Dearest. That perverted sack of flesh never learns not to underestimate me, so every so often I must teach her again. And as my Ashikabi, I thought it would be a fun moment to share." Miya's laugh washed over and through him like a cleansing stream. He had only known the woman for a week, and she was becoming as precious to him as Hinata once was. Naruto felt blessed such an amazing woman entered his life.

The two of them lay there for a little longer before Miya declared she had to start getting lunch ready. The mention of which had Naruto's stomach rumbling in agreement. Well, he _had_ been without food for nearly fourteen hours now. Miya had skipped breakfast in favor of explaining the Sekirei Plan to him. So now it was time to feed the Beast.

As Miya got to her feet in order to prepare the noonday meal, Naruto sat back upon the veranda, tools in hand. Two more names. Possibly the two most important ones he would add. Those of his own children.

Uzumaki Boruto. Naruto could not be more proud of his only son. Despite only being an Academy Student he adhered to the stringent rules and traditions all Uzumaki held as Truth. Family Comes First.

Uzumaki Himawari. His beloved daughter. Naruto was beyond depressed he would never get to to walk her down the isle on her wedding day, but he believed that no man could truly deserve his brave little girl. Family Comes First.

Though young and uninitiated in the cruelties of the shinobi world, they deserved their place of honor amongst the dead. After all...

Family Comes First.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

*Minaka often calls Takami with the "kun" suffix in both the anime and the manga, so I use it here.

I have been persuaded to increase Naruto's eventual Harem from five up to seven. All seven spots are spoken for, so please don't pester me with suggestions. If I must I will give a full list at the end of the next chapter. This will be the only increase to the harem. And the only reason I'm doing so is because each of the ones chosen adds something Naruto needs in this new life.

This chapter is shorter than I could wish for, but it's all that came to me so here we go.

One last thing: one of the reason's this story is a side project at this time is because I'm rather behind on the Sekirei storyline... I got lost somewhere in the third stage. I'm trying to catch up again, so bear with me please.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** A portion of this chapter may seem familiar to many who have read "Unwavering Sky" by Kur0Kishi. I'll admit to taking inspiration from that and my own life to write that part. Seriously, if you haven't read it, go do so. Despite it's incomplete status it's damned good. And before some crackpot decides to try and annoy me by saying I copied the ideas of another author... First, it's FANFICTION! If I could be sued for using the ideas of others here, we'd all be in trouble. Second... I asked permission, so screw off.

Next Item, is the Harem. I have been convinced to steal from Minato. Not all of them, but at least two, and as requested by a reviewer I'll give you all the list in the End Notes.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 03**

A month had passed since the winging of Sekirei Zero-One, Miya, and MBI was no closer to knowing anything about her mysterious Ashikabi than they had been a month ago. It was irking Takami to no end trying to figure out just how in the blue blazes that man managed to almost completely avoid electronic detection. It was like he knew where absolutely everything in a room was before he entered it!

On Minaka's end of things, the amusement hadn't ceased yet. Normally when a Sekirei was winged he would give the lucky Ashikabi a call, and in true dramatic fashion, inform them of the top-secret game they were now part of. However, in a rare moment of sanity, He decided to forgo this particular opportunity. Miya was murderously unfond of him, and he had no doubt that she might just find a way to kill him by looking at him through the screen.

Despite how he acted at times, Hiroto Minaka wanted to live, thank-you-very-much. To help facilitate this, and to get Takami away from him for a while, he had even asked a recently released Sekirei, number Fifty-Five, Saki, who specialized in spying, to try and keep tabs on the unknown element that was Uzumaki Naruto.

Suffice to say, Saki had nothing. Every time she thought she might be able to get close enough to listen in on something the man was talking about it turned into a nearly unintelligible babble, or he would suddenly vanish on her. Follow him around town? He vanished. The only constants Saki had discovered about the man were his love of ramen -how did he eat thirty bowls in one sitting?!-, his devotion to his new Sekirei -who had decided recently to take up his Clan name-, and his near loathing for technology. Seriously, what happened to make him dislike the convenient devices so much?

In short, one month had passed, and MBI still could not find anything on him. Poor Saki was just about to try infiltrating Maison Izumo to get her information, if it weren't for the fact that she had been assured such an attempt could very well end with her life. She wasn't _that_ desperate. Saki could wait a year or more. They had time, and the number of Sekirei being released right now was a trickle. Hell, the only reason Saki had been released this early was because of her specialty in stealth. That thought made her wonder though.

If stealth and spying were her specialty, then how much better was this man, that he could sense her and avoid her with such ease? It was humiliating to be beaten at her own game, but it was also humbling and exciting. If she could spy on this guy without getting caught, she could spy on anyone.

Or at least that was the thought going through her head. It had a certain amount of merit, even Minaka could agree to that. So Saki thought of following Naruto around as two parts: First was the job, the second was training.

Sadly it was working a little too well, when she managed to fall off MBI's scanner. Now what would Minaka do for entertainment?

Minaka was jolted from his thoughts when an old man with liver spots cleared his throat. "Yes, what is it?"

The old man's name, according to the tag on his janitor's uniform, was Shimura Danzo. And he was giving Minaka an amused smile. "I'm supposed to be collecting the trash, and you're sitting in it. Unless you want to join it, I'll thank you to move."

Looking down Minaka realized the old man was right, he was sitting in one of the paper waste baskets. Jumping up with an embarrassed laugh he let the elderly janitor collect the trash and leave. Wondering the entire time when they had hired him. Minaka usually approved all hirings.

The white-haired man shrugged. It wasn't important. It's not like a janitor had all-access or anything... Shit. They did. They had to, in order to collect the trash, sweep and mop floors, and all that other cleaning stuff.

Now Minaka was getting paranoid. There was no way that old man was Uzumaki Naruto in disguise. Naruto was young, blonde-haired, and tall with whisker-like marks on his face. This Shimura was bent and old, with obvious signs of his age in his gray hair and bent back. The two were as opposite as night and day.

None the less, Minaka found himself at his computer, looking for everything he could get on Shimura Danzo. If his hunch was correct...

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Sahashi Takami was not in a good mood. Well, technically she was almost never in a good mood, but that's beside the point. Her pride was being hurt greatly, with her inability to discover anything about Uzumaki Naruto. The man just did not exist.

Paper trails were inconclusive. Payouts from the publisher were in cash. Hell, his name wasn't even in the national databases! Just who, or what, was this man?! It was driving her insane!

They managed to collect a certain amount of data, his height, general weight -approximated-, his possible birth year -using a reverse aging program-, whether those whiskers on his face were scars -they weren't-. Anything else was guess work. He was an author, so presumably he had gone to college. No luck.

His body type indicated tone muscles from long martial training, so perhaps he was part of the underground fighting arenas. No luck.

His coloring -skin, hair, and eye- indicated mixed heritage, so maybe he was registered in another country and was here visiting? ... No FUCKING luck.

Standing in an elevator, Takami sighed and pulled out a cigarette. Lighting it she reflected that this was worse than that time Minaka had managed to convince her that having children was a good idea. She had been through the process twice, and while she wouldn't give them up for anything in the world, she _did_ regret with whom she created them. But that was at least better than chasing down information on a man that didn't exist!

"You really shouldn't smoke those things, they'll kill ya." An old, undoubtedly male voice broke her out of her thoughts. Turning to her side, she saw an elderly man with the name-tag "Shimura Danzo" looking at her with an unfathomable expression.

"What was that? I was lost in thought."

"I said your shoelace was untied." he replied in a bland tone.

Looking down, Takami found he was correct. "Oh, thanks."

"Not a problem." Danzo didn't even bother to look at the show afforded to him when she bent down to tie the lace. His expression of polite neutrality never wavered, and when the doors opened he pushed his trolley off the elevator to continue his work.

There was always something else to do, after all.

Back in the elevator, Takami frowned. Shimura Danzo, the name wasn't familiar to her, and she finalized every possible applicant for all-access jobs like janitorial personally, before sending it off to Minaka for final approval. She pulled out her personal tablet, and started a search for everything on the man she had just shared an elevator with.

Maybe, just maybe...

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Miya was humming a happy little tune as she was making lunch for her and those under her roof. Naruto was out at the moment, screwing with the heads of the eighteen different tails that people had placed on him since he gave her wings. She giggled a little at the thought. Never before had Miya thought of pranking those insufferable people, and she found that it seemed almost karma-like.

Over the past month, she had reflected on the many, many images that seemed to flow into her when Naruto pulsed some kind of energy into her Sekirei Crest. The faces of thousands, the hope of millions, and the Hero to a world. The first were obviously members of her Ashikabi's former home, the second were the civilians of that world, and the last was how he was seen by his former wife. A woman with lavender-tinted white eyes, that never ceased supporting him through everything.

Uzumaki-Hyuuga Hinata. A woman that Miya, if she were to be honest with herself, was somewhat jealous of. That woman was always there, a silent witness to all the tragedies and triumphs Naruto went through. A lifetime's worth of events, and Miya had it all at her mental fingertips, but she wasn't part of them. That piece of information always managed to depress her a little, but then she remembered the final moments Naruto shared with Hinata, where the woman managed something that shouldn't be possible.

Uzumaki-Hyuuga Hinata, had downloaded her final wish in emotive form straight into Naruto's psyche.

Said wish was transferred to Miya when Naruto tried understanding the Crest. Now Miya, _Uzumaki_ Miya, was the sole heir to the Will of Uzumaki-Hyuuga Hinata. That Will stated one thing: That whomever found their way into the blonde man's heart would love and support him, even as Hinata had.

Miya had accepted, and never looked back. She still thought fondly of Takehito, but Naruto made her happy, and at the end of the day she knew that's what Takehito would have wanted for her.

To illustrate a few key differences; Takehito was a genius in the field of bio-engineering. Naruto was a "reformed" ninja. Miya couldn't really say if he was fully reformed, because he kept pulling these odd quirks out of nowhere. Takehito was intelligent, Naruto was wise. Takehito would lead with his common sense, Naruto lead with his heart. Two very different men, they had one thing in common, the love of one woman. But Takehito was her past, Naruto was her present and -hopefully- her future. With everything in mind she had taken up Naruto's Clan name, Uzumaki.

Miya was beyond content with this. Oops, she almost forgot about lunch. Naruto should be home soon, and likely to be hungry. ... Maybe she should make a little more.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Shimura Danzo was a fairly tall man, with thick gray hair, liver spots, and an odd cross-shaped scar on his chin. His eyes were twin pools of dark emotion, not evil but not really friendly either. As he was at work he wore the janitorial uniform of full overalls with name tag. And currently he was collecting trash... in the mainframe room.

There were no less than ten desks for individual access in this room, and each one required a security clearance far above the pay grade of a lowly janitor. But that wasn't important, the little device in his pocket would allow remote access from anywhere with the right passcodes. He'd use the term "passwords" but they were like no words he'd ever seen, all zeros and ones with the odd letter dropped in for good measure.

Danzo shrugged, he didn't really care. The device was given to him by an acquaintance, all he needed to do was plant it on the mainframe somewhere and make sure it was active. So he set about doing so, individually knocking out the current users in the room, after seeing there were no cameras... It's the mainframe and they have no security here? What the hell?

Shaking his head, Danzo quickly opened a side panel on the main body of the giant processing unit, and planted the device, making sure to activate it before placing the panel back and collecting the trash into his cart's larger bin. Hey, just because he was stealing secrets and whatnot was no reason to do a half-ass job.

Danzo's politely neutral expression finally cracked as he left the mainframe, whistling a jaunty little tune. This was proving kinda fun, he should have gotten into this a long time ago. What was it called again?

Oh yes, Corporate Espionage. How ... Delightful.

A little over an hour later the knocked out people started coming around. Looking around finding that nothing seemed wrong, they just shrugged it off. It wasn't uncommon for them to suddenly fall asleep, it just meant they needed either a break or coffee.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Minaka and Takami were standing in the former's office, looking over everything that had been dug up on one Shimura Danzo. Surprisingly there was a fair amount.

Fifty-one years of age, about five-foot and ten-inches, around two hundred pounds, single -widowed-, no children, born in Kyoto -Nara prefecture-, prior military service before an unfortunate misunderstanding with his superiors caused his early release -apparently he was found sleeping with three of their daughters, at once-, currently living in a small rented apartment in the northern end of Tokyo.

Spotless, in light of everything. Age, height, weight, marital status, birth place, blood-type, past work history. Everything they could want was there. But still something nagged at them, the profile was almost too clean. As if it was tailored to not set off any alarms. Which was probably why it was doing just that in their heads.

Giving every possible scrutiny to the records, they were coming up daisies. No foul play, no reports of delinquency, nothing. It seemed like another fucking goose-egg.

Dammit. Looking at each other they both sighed. Well, at least those fears were unfounded. Now if Takami could find a way to get rid of Minaka without anything leading back to her...

Wait! Bad Takami! You are NOT supposed to think about how to kill your boss/biggest pain in the ass.

She sighed and looked away, a woman could dream though...

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto arrived home later than he had thought he would, it was half past noon and he knew Miya didn't like being kept waiting. That strictness of hers hadn't completely vanished, but rather it had softened. He had a few theories as to why, but he didn't feel it was his place to ask. Besides, it also felt superfluous.

That flash of light, those images one month ago. He had seen her life just as surely as she had seen his. Waking from a centuries-long slumber to a nut job who declared he was going to make a grand game of her race's need to survive, being a callous force of destruction, taking the lives of thousands merely because she could, finishing her adjustments to be able to better live amongst humankind, falling for Asama Takehito and taking his name as her own despite no ceremony to make it valid, losing that same love in an accident, the heartbreak was on a level only known to those who truly knew loss. So much pain, so much anger, yet still she soldiered on.

Miya, his Sekirei, _Uzumaki Naruto's_ Sekirei, had his full respect, and slowly he was learning to love her just as she was learning about him. He had to assume to memory transfer was mutual, her actions since that day were too different from what he had known the week prior. For one thing she wasn't using him as free labor despite his having paid rent...

Wait, he was technically married to her now, she had taken his name after all, shouldn't that mean he owns an interest in this Inn? Why the hell was he still being forced to pay rent? He didn't mind aiding in the upkeep and whatnot, he didn't even mind paying for that upkeep if it came to that, but did she have to still call it rent? ... He'd bring it up with her later.

Entering the Inn, Naruto immediately took note of an extra pair of shoes, female if he wasn't mistaken. Was Uzume in then? The woman had arrived with Matsu sometime before he had, and had apparently managed to sleep through his first week there. That was the kind thing that would have impressed his old pal Shikamaru. Lazy bastard.

Finding his way to the dining room, he discovered he was indeed correct in his assumption, Uzume was there. Her long brown hair in it's usual off-side ponytail, star-themed red and blue shirt, and cut-off jeans, everything enhancing her voluptuous body. It was almost too bad that she was taken, and by another woman at that.

Sekirei number Ten, Uzume, had received her wings some time before Naruto's arrival at Izumo, and she admitted that if she wasn't completely fallen for her Ashikabi -Chiho, he thought the name was- she might have reacted to him. Naruto was still trying to decide if it was a good thing or not that she wasn't available. She was so much like used to be as a kid, and even now. Fun-loving, always with a smile, willing to do anything to protect her most precious people, or person as the case may be.

Looking at Miya though, Naruto figured he might be in a little trouble, if the Hannya mask behind her was any indication. He realized it might be a forlorn hope, but he might as well try and see just what it was that upset her.

"Um, Miya-chan, aside from being late, is there a reason you seem upset with me?" There was a small amount of worry in his voice. He may not have been with his new "wife" very long, but he knew that if she was upset with him it was best to get it over and done with.

"Why no, Dear, nothing at all. Just that the lunch I went through all the trouble to prepare sat here getting cold while you were off gallivanting who-knows-where? Why, one might think you don't like my cooking. If that's the case I can stop..." Miya's put-upon tone trailed off suggestively. Evil woman, Naruto knew ow to cook, and she knew it. The problem lay with the fact that if she stopped cooking for him , she would also not allow him access to the kitchen.

Evil Woman. Why did he fall for her again? Oh yes, the Bond. Well that and she was a _really_ good cook, and like Hinata she got to him through his stomach. Once more, Evil Woman!

Naruto sighed and looked her in the eye. "I'm still working on getting that 'Scrapped Number' out in one piece, as per your request. It's... not as easy as I'd like. The security around her is extremely tight. Like Gato's fist around a clipped coin." He didn't need to explain the reference, Miya understood, and Uzume didn't really care.

With the explanation Miya's expression softened and the Hannya mask vanished. One week ago, she had requested that he find a way to save the Scrapped Number, the supposedly unwingable Sekirei, currently within the MBI labs. Naruto had agreed that she deserved her chance to find someone she'd be willing to fall in love with, and had promised to help her. And when Uzumaki Naruto makes a promise, he keeps it, come Hell or high water.*

Akitsu, Sekirei Zero-Seven, would be free to spread her wings, if it was the last thing he did.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

A woman with short brown hair, light enough to almost be blonde, and creamy white skin stirred restlessly. Dull gray eyes opened slightly, wandering around the room she was in. Pure white walls and sterile medical equipment, a common sight for her surroundings, just like the uncomfortable steel table she rested upon. A Sekirei Crest sat upon her brow, marking her as incapable of being winged.

Sekirei Zero-Seven, Akitsu, the Ice Sekirei, waited on her doctor and adjustor once again in hope that they could fix whatever had gone wrong and allow her to be winged. She had been having dreams lately, of a tall blonde man who would reach out a hand toward her, but every time she reached to take that hand she would awake, and her heart would break all over again.

Today was different though, she could feel something within her moving, forcing her body off the table and into a short hospital robe, leading her to attempt to leave the room, guiding her. Hope once more ignited within her, a small flame to be sure, but it was better than non-existence, than not having feeling at all. Akitsu relished the feeling, this feeling that said she could still gain her wings, that she wasn't incapable of being fixed as the doctors had discussed in low tones, presumably in hopes that she couldn't hear them. But she did, she always did.

Akitsu could feel him though, the man she dreamed about for the last week, the one who might be able to give her the wings she desired above all else. He was here, in the building, he wasn't far, she had to get to him, she had to see this one final hope through, if this proved false... Akitsu would probably kill herself.

"Desperate", was a good term for Akitsu at this point. She had felt so much hope and despair, she had long ago run out of tears. Now it was only this one last small feeling of hope that kept her going. This one last chance for joy and peace, for happiness. So she followed the feeling she had.

Leaving the room, the nebulous feelings increased the more she wandered, going higher, out of the underground sections. Security attempted to stop her, she barely spared them a glance before blocking those passages with thick walls of ice. Her element never before felt so right, as it aided her in obstructing those who would stop her. Still she went higher, only a few more levels and she'd find him, she was certain of it. The late afternoon sunlight was ominously bright.

Two more floors and there was little doubt that Minaka and Takami had decided to watch and see what she was doing, because security stopped showing up. Instead they kept a respectable distance, probably armed with tranquilizer rounds on the off chance she went out of control. But Akitsu had no such thoughts, her entire being focused on finding Him. All her hopes were pinned on Him, to the point it was becoming an obsession, her only reason to exist.

Akitsu came to a stop outside a door on the fourth floor above ground. She could feel him, he was inside. Seized by a sudden bout of nerves she could barely raise one shaking hand to open the door. Stepping through she looked around, her face never leaving it original apathetic expression, despite the hope swelling further within her breast. She saw only one person within the room, but he looked nothing like the one she had seen in her dreams.

This man was elderly, with a short mop of messy gray hair, and a cross-shaped scar on his chin. This was where the reaction was strongest, her eyes glued to that man. Nothing about him resembled the one in her dreams, the blonde man with kind blue eyes and warm smile. Still, she could feel a reaction to this man, for whatever reason. So, she approached him slowly, eyes firmly upon his form.

She stopped just outside arm's reach. "Why do you have this form? This is nothing like I have seen in the dreams, Ashikabi-sama." Her voice carried the barest hints of curiosity and desperation. This man, she was definitely reacting to him, but the dreams... She had never heard of a Sekirei reacting to different men before.

Shimura Danzo couldn't help but gape at the sight before him. An absolutely beautiful woman in nothing but a short robe stood there, asking why he looked nothing like what she expected. Quickly his mind raced. Could it be? Could she have been reacting to his true self? There was only one way to find out, and he just knew he was going to get in trouble for it.

Shimura Danzo's bent back straightened, and his form was suddenly covered in smoke. When the smoke cleared there stood the form of Uzumaki Naruto, the very man from Akitsu's dreams.

"Is this more what you were expecting?" His gentle voice snapped her from her surprise. Akitsu nodded, she never had been one for words, always preferring actions to prove anything.

She took a step forward, reaching out to him with shaking hands, hope naked in her eyes. "Please, please, Ashikabi-sama. Give me wings." And with that she kissed him, the Crest upon her forehead vanishing in a veritable torrent of power from the man. Wings of ice-blue light burst forth from her back, a new Crest making it's home at the nape of her neck.

"_This is the ice of my pledge. Shatter the misfortunes of my Ashikabi!_"

Freedom! Akitsu had never expected to feel the freedom other Sekirei experienced. No longer would she be forced to be looked upon with pity. No more would she have false hopes raised, only to be dashed to pieces. She had an Ashikabi, and she would never let him go. Akitsu would face all the forces of Heaven and Hell to remain with him.

Naruto, on the other hand, had gone pale. Miya was _not_ going to be happy, but he could worry about that later. He looked past Akitsu to the security teams readying tranquilizer rounds, and realized that this was not the time to be celebrating. So he acted, ignoring or forgetting about the cameras in the room, and the implications of being caught, he ran past Akitsu and slammed his hands on the floor palm-first.

The reaction to this action? Utter chaos as the floor shattered in front of Naruto, sending a wave of power in the direction of the humans, knocking them not only from their feet, but from the level. Quickly spinning he grabbed a wide-eyed Akitsu by the waist and jumped through the large floor-to-ceiling windows that separated them from the outside. He jumped far, clearing the four-lane highway and guest parking lot just outside the front of the building, straight to the roof of a building across the way. From there he continued dashing, reinforcing himself with his chakra to increase his speed as he made for the northern end of the city.

Miya may not be happy with him, but she was less happy with MBI. If he had to he would hide behind that hate of hers.

"Ah... I think we're far enough, Ashikabi-sama." Akitsu's voice brought him out of his musings, and a halt to his mad dash, in the middle of a park with a fountain. Naruto blinked, and gently set Akitsu on her feet.

"Sorry 'bout that, but I couldn't risk getting captured." He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin that Akitsu immediately thought made him look like a fox-kit, and she decided she liked it.

"Ah... It's okay. I'm surprised though. I thought only Sekirei could jump and move like that." Her curiosity was easily discernible, it seems that with the winging she was opening her shell.

"Heh, you'll find I'm full of surprises, Akitsu, but we really shouldn't stand around like this. We'll draw attention." His eyes panned around to make sure they were alone, taking note of what seemed to be a few people a little ways off. They weren't close enough to have seen their arrival, but Akitsu's state of dress was certain to raise some eyebrows. With that thought, Naruto took her hand in his and started to lead her out and toward home.

Akitsu followed peacefully, just staring at their connected hands. She could feel him even more now, not just through the Bond, but his physical warmth. And she loved it. She reveled in this feeling that for so long she thought she might never attain. Silently, Akitsu promised herself to do everything in her power to never lose it.

Naruto felt her determination, admiration, and love through the Bond, and marveled at the complexity of emotions. Miya had had only a few emotions, the rest were tightly controlled and hidden from him at the time of their Bonding, but Akitsu wasn't shielding at all. So, on instinct, Naruto drew her closer, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her to rest her head against him. In response he felt her moment of surprise, followed quickly by acceptance, gratitude, joy, contentment, and even more love.

This might be easier than he thought. Miya was many things, adverse to sharing among them, but she wasn't cruel. She would accept Akitsu, simply because the Ice Sekirei loved him as much as Miya herself did. Though his violet-haired "wife" had objected strenuously at first, after that flash where they pretty much shared each other's lives, Miya had opened up and actually started to show her love, even if it wasn't any more than the odd kiss or sharing the same bed. And now Akitsu would be joining them. There would be a token resistance, but he knew Miya would accept it. She would never cause distress to one of her sisters.

AS they walked, Naruto quietly slipped his left arm out of his jacket, slid it down his arm to their connected hands, managed to slip in onto Akitsu, without having to let go of her hand, being glad the the thing was reversible. Now that she didn't look quite so much like a bathroom escapee they just had to walk normally until they reach Izumo. As such, Naruto started praying.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

"Ara, Naruto-kun, when I said to help the Sekirei who had lost her wings, I didn't mean for you to give her them back yourself." Miya's gentle voice was ruined by the Hannya mask floating behind her. Seriously, what was that thing? A summon of some sort? He'd used it once, but it hadn't felt natural, and it was the heat of the moment. Maybe he should see if he could produce something similar?

Oh wait, before that... Naruto turned to Akitsu who was staring at the Hannya mask with several shards of ice floating about her in order to protect them both. It was a touching gesture, but ultimately futile. If Miya wanted to hurt them... well there were a great number of sunken ships somewhere off the coast of a small island that attested to her ability to hurt and/or destroy what she wished. Naruto might be able to hold her off... if he had a weapon capable of conducting his wind-natures chakra. Which he didn't, so talking it out was the only real option.

Squeezing Akitsu's shoulder comfortingly, he returned his attention to Miya. "There's nothing we can do about now, Miya. So what do you say you put that Hannya away, and we go inside to discuss everything? Not to mention, Akitsu could use something else to wear other than my jacket and that thin robe." His tone was calm, collected, with no hint of fear. Akitsu found a new sense of awe for her Ashikabi. He could face that demon and miasma, and wasn't afraid? She would learn from him, surely there must be more frightening things than that mask.

Akitsu allowed her ice to disperse, even as Miya's Hannya vanished. Naruto was right, there was much to discuss, and standing here in front of their home wasn't going to get it done. Miya turned and lead them back into the house, she took Akitsu upstairs to find something for the woman to wear as Naruto went to the kitchen to make tea, nothing kept Miya quite as calm as a cup of tea.

Naruto had just finished making the tea when the two came back down, Akitsu wearing a light blue kimono held together with a dark blue obi. He thought she looked incredible, and with Miya standing beside her it just made him want to take a picture in an effort to capture the moment as his heart skipped a beat. By Kami they were beautiful.

Taking a sip of her tea, Miya's expression calmed a little more. There really was nothing like a perfect cup of tea. "So, she had a strong reaction, I take it?" Her voice once again calm and collected, indicating the Miya he knew best had returned.

Nodding, Naruto took a sip of his own cup before replying. "Yes, apparently she's been having dreams of me for the past week or so, and when I was finally close enough he connection to me, formed psychically I'd guess, was strong enough to lead her right to me."

Miya frowned. "You say she had been dreaming of you, but you have not mentioned any such dreams, which are supposed to be two-way communication between Sekirei and Ashikabi. So if she had dreams of you, you should have had dreams of her."

Naruto's face mirrored her frown, even as he put a comforting hand on Akitsu's shoulder, feeling her distress at possibly being called a liar. "I think it had something to do with that Crest that had been on her forehead. Those Crests are supposed to link us, right? As an improperly formed, or misplaced, Crest it might have made it so she could only receive from me, and blocked her own sending. The Bond is both emotional and psychic, right? By it being on her head it might have blocked out her own psychic waves." He shrugged. "It's the only theory I've got."

Miya nodded absently. It was possible, and she couldn't think of any other reason why he wouldn't know that a Sekirei was reacting to him. The dreams were supposed to be two-way, if it was only working one-way then something was interfering, and the Crests were still a mystery.

Making up her mind Miya's eyes met his. "Well then, as her Ashikabi, you'll have to take care of her." She smiled softly. "I may not be happy about sharing you, but i won't deny a Sekirei her rightful Ashikabi either. However, she needs her own clothes, she can't keep borrowing mine. Akitsu is a little bigger than I am in certain areas, and as such needs her own wardrobe. So that is what you and I will do tomorrow, take my sister shopping."

An evil glint had entered Miya's eyes as she made this declaration, and it worried Naruto. He might very well go broke with the amount she no doubt intended to spend. He hoped not, his next payout from his writing wasn't for another three months.

"This is not going to end well for my wallet, is it?" Miya's evil grin answered his question.

He was doomed. He knew it, even as he wept pathetically into Akitsu's lap, he was so going to be broke after tomorrow.

Throughout it all Akitsu watched, an apathetic expression on her face, one hand brushing gently through her Ashikabi's hair. She marveled at just how much it felt like fur, or what she assumed fur felt like.

Miya was doing her own watching, and finally gave in, moving beside Akitsu she too started running her hand through Naruto's hair as well. She couldn't help it, it really was as soft as fur and she wondered just how he got it like that. As the three shared the moment they couldn't help but wonder what other surprises the future would hold, and be excited about it at the same time.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

* Hell or high water, basically a euphemism for the end of the world, whether it goes out in fire or flood, or both. I've been questioned on this phrase on more than one occasion in the past, so I figured I'd just put out the only real meaning.

Okay, as promised here's the freaking list. Do not hassle me about them, PLEASE!

Note: these are merely listed by number, not in order of acquisition.

01 - Miya (Sword)

03 - Kazehana (Wind)

06 - Homura (Fire)

07 - Akitsu (Ice)

22 - Kocho (Brain/Computer)

55 - Saki (Spying/Nihonto)

73 - Namiji (Halberd)

Next up,CHAOS(Guest) pointed out an issue with my first chapter. I had stated that Naruto was only about to propose to Hinata, yet in the second chapter I had introduced Boruto and Himawari. Logically speaking those two would not have existed if Naruto had not married Hinata already. So I fixed that problem.

This person also asked why I would bring those two into the story just to kill them. The answer is simple: it's emotionally hard-hitting. I needed something to illustrate a heavy point that Naruto would always put Family first, and this resonated with me.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** I have been requested to add Tsukiumi and Karasuba. My answer is: No. I have asked you to not make requests, please do not ignore that simply because you want your favorite in the harem. Thank you.

On a different note I am overwhelmed by the support this story has received so far, over 100 reviews and this is only the fourth chapter? Awesome, and I thank you all.

Shout out to my pals Mr. AnimeKidd, and ncpfan for their help and support of this story.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 04**

Hiroto Minaka was watching something he could not quite understand. He had viewed the security camera footage of Uzumaki Naruto's winging of Zero-Seven, and the man's subsequent escape, but something was wrong. A human shouldn't be capable of destroying the reinforced floors of his building. A human shouldn't have been able to break that bullet-proof glass with his body. And an human certainly should not have been able to make a nearly one hundred foot leap to the roof of a building across the street, then continue to run at speeds MBI's tracking satellite said was approaching eighty miles an hour.

Just what was Uzumaki Naruto? Before Zero-Seven entered that room, there had only been the janitor, a rather serious and taciturn old man called Shimura Danzo. Then Zero-Seven approached him, said something -sound, he'd have to invest in microphones, why hadn't he?- and there was a puff of smoke. Finally, when the smoke cleared, Shimura Danzo was gone, and Uzumaki Naruto stood in his place. It was like one of those old ninja movies...

Suddenly bursting into laughter, Minaka surprised his newest secretary slash assistant. A lovely young thing with orange-red hair tied in two pigtails, and a permanent blush by the name of Utatane Moegi. She was very skilled in the making of tea and the keeping of schedules. The dark blue office woman look she wore only highlighted her soft curves.

"HAHA! I have it! He's a NINJA!" Minaka's cackling was starting to become worrisome to the young woman, but then it wasn't everyday your new employer declared someone a ninja. Maybe she should add a little calming medication to his next cup? It might make him a little more tractable when she inquired about anything. Then again, it might make him even nuttier, someone _had_ to have tried sedatives before... Right?

-Much lower in the building a gray-haired woman sneezed, before wacking a panicking employee over the head with a binder-

With a smile on her face, Moegi placed a cup of tea on the President's desk. "Your evening tea, sir. Will there be anything else?"

"Hm? No, no. That will be all for the night, Moegi-kun. Have a safe trip home." Minaka was brought out of his impromptu laughter briefly. He glanced over the young woman's form for a moment, and wished he was a younger man. _'Well hello, Sex Drive, I thought Takami killed you years ago.'_

Giving a small, polite bow, Moegi turned and left the office, an unnoticed smirk gracing her lips. _'Boss is going to enjoy this.'_ She thought, entering the elevator just as Sahashi Takami exited it. The ride down to the lobby took a few minutes, it _is _the tallest building in Tokyo after all. She waved to the night-shift receptionist, exiting the building and moving away from the doors, toward a parked car. The vehicle was nothing fancy, just an old Honda CRX model, but it helped her get around and avoid suspicion from MBI.

A Kage Bunshin's gotta do what a Kage Bunshin's gotta do. At least she didn't have to bed anyone. Cue shudder. Female she may have been made, but she was still a copy of a man, if she had to bed someone, let them be another female please.

A scream of pain came to her ear just before she got in her car, and soothed her now frazzled nerves.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Meanwhile, Minaka had grabbed the cup of tea and taken a brazen gulp of the scalding hot liquid, resulting in a furious moment of screaming in pain. Fresh tea was hot, how had he forgotten that?

Oh right, Uzumaki was a ninja. A real live ninja, someone who pulled off the impossible and make it seem commonplace. Though he had to wonder where the smoke came from, and the utterly ridiculous rapid change in clothing, not to mention the obvious make-up change from old man to young. After all, it's not like the man could mold some unheard of energy and create physical illusions to hide himself, right?

Minaka was brought out of his thoughts by the arrival of Takami, who looked like she had aged three years in the span of the day. She had taken it upon herself to try and ferret out just how in God's name, Naruto had managed to pull the wool over their eyes, and she'd had limited success.

Takami walked up in front of the desk and took the only other chair in the room. "He's a chameleon. The bastard has to be a chameleon, able to freely change his personality and give away nothing. I went over the recently hired, the ones in the past month, and nothing stands out. We received no less than two hundred applications, and hired no more than thirty as is our personal policy." She paused to take a breath, pulling out a cigarette and took a deep drag. Feeling the nicotine enter her system, Takami relaxed a little into the chair. "Not one of those thirty raised any kind of red flags, from the janitor he disguised himself as, to your new assistant. Security, technicians, receptionists, janitors, assistants and secretaries. They all come up as clean as we could ever want. Just dirty enough to have little regard for others, but with obvious ethics that keep them from being thugs."

As she blew more smoke into the air, Minaka merely hummed in amusement. "You'll likely never find any of his other persona's until he wants you too, or something like this happens again. Just from watching that video so many times I can tell you that he's a master of infiltration." His face broke into his usual manic grin. "This is proving to be so much more fun than I anticipated! This Uzumaki, he's a force of Nature, untamed and wild, truly like the meaning of his name, 'Maelstrom of the Whirlpool'."

Takami slammed her fists on the desk. "You think this is a joke?! Our security is compromised! Our secrets are vulnerable! Who knows just what he learned while he was here?! And you just laugh it off?!"

His grin never breaking, Minaka simply pointed to the data they managed to accumulate on Uzumaki Naruto from the day's events, data that was being displayed still on the giant screen. "We can infer a very great deal from what we have, Takami-kun. First, he chose the role of a janitor, likely because it had all the access requirements he'd ever need. Second, the rapid change in appearance tells us he is fully qualified in both infiltration and espionage. Third, his choice of disguise itself was too well played to be unknown to him, thus he must have used it before, or it is someone in his probably very colorful past. Fourth, we have it on record that during that little elevator ride you two shared earlier he never even bothered to look when you bent down to tie your laces. This speaks of both iron will power as a male, and possibly that he is desensitized to the female form, perhaps even capable of passing as one..." Minaka suddenly surged into motion, running for an adjacent bathroom where the sounds of a man shitting his guts out were heard, along with a very pained cry. Sounds Takami was both amused to hear, and frightened of the implications.

Minaka never ate or drank anything that was not personally prepared by his secretary, currently one Utatane Moegi. The woman had been one of those recent hirings, along with that Shimura Danzo. With that precaution there should be no reason for him to suddenly suffer from the explosive diarrhea, which the sounds and smells thereof were reaching her easily. Quickly Takami snatched up the tea cup that Minaka had been drinking from, hoping that some of the tea was still there and she'd be able to perform an analysis on it.

Fortunately it seemed there was little need for the analysis. Takami recognized the faint, and very distinct, scent of a kind of liquid medicine for children that had irregular bowel movements. Her son had that particular problem a few times when he was stressed beyond belief as a child, and she had used it on him. However this posed a new problem.

If Uzumaki could get someone like Utatane Moegi on his side, a girl barely out of college, then there was no telling who was all in his pocket. And if the girl was innocent, then how did Uzumaki get to Minaka? They put the building on lock-down until just recently. There had been no traffic in or out since the brazen exit the blonde man had pulled earlier.

Wait, what was Minaka spouting earlier? Uzumaki might be capable of _passing as a woman?_ If that was true, then might he have also posed as a female employee earlier in the day to get to Utatane? And if _that_ was true, how on earth did they stop him? High tech scanners had found nothing odd about "Shimura Danzo" during their mandatory physicals and blood tests.

_'Ugh, hello again, Headache. I thought I might have a day without you for once.'_

Nearly ten minutes later Minaka practically crawled his way out of the bathroom, clearly still suffering some fatiguing side effect. "I think, I'll be moving into that bathroom for the next several hours, Takami-kun. I believe you can handle everything while I am... indisposed."

With that he crawled right back into the recently vacated bathroom, closed the door, and probably wouldn't be heard from again for the foreseeable future. Takami could only sweatdrop and look at the displayed data again.

Uzumaki was lucky in one way so far, the two Sekirei he had winged didn't have any kind of tracking units, the best they had were the warning systems to detect being winged. Takami was going to have to make sure that no others left their custody without one. Should this blonde man get any Sekirei, which seemed highly likely considering he had wing two supposedly unwingable Sekirei, they'd at least have an idea where he might be.

Hopefully.

With the way things were going at the moment, Takami wouldn't put it past him to somehow either short-circuit the tracker or remove it without her knowledge. She'd only known of the Uzumaki Naruto for a month, and she was already placing her bets on his doing more of the impossible. He seemed to have a penchant for it. As a result she had the feeling that her life was going to be filled with even bigger headaches.

Poor woman. She had no idea.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

The morning following his winging of Akitsu found Naruto waking in his and Miya's bed, with the feeling of two female bodies pressed up against him, one to each side. Blinking, he looked to his left and found Miya's head resting on his shoulder, his arm drawn around her shoulders, her usual sleeping yukata firmly in place. Okay, that was normal these days. Now for the other ... side...

Uh-oh.

On his right was Akitsu, her head nestled into the crook of his neck, his arm held in her generous cleavage by both of her hands... and she was naked. How could he tell? She wasn't under the sheets, so he had a completely unrestricted view. Where was the sleeping yukata that Miya loaned her? Why was she here when she had been given a room right next door? And why, for the love of Kami, did he not notice her joining them in bed?!

Then there was what Miya was going to do to him when she woke up. He may not necessarily fear his "wife", but he didn't want her angry at him. Besides, even if she were to try and harm him, he was old-fashioned enough that he wouldn't want to hurt her in retaliation.

Not physically, at least. Hitting her pride would do just as well.

In the meantime, he had to get out of this situation without notice... Oh would you look at that, Miya was awake.

Fuck.

"Uh, Good... morning?" Naruto's tone was anything but his usual chipper self. He didn't want to deal with that damned Hannya mask this early, even if he could ignore it. The thing just spelled ruin to his day.

Miya's gaze was flinty, flickering back and forth between his face and Akitsu's position. Then she seemed to relax with a sigh of what he could have sworn was resignation. "She came in after you were asleep. I thought this might happen eventually, so I allowed her to join us... but I could have sworn she was wearing that yukata I gave her."

Naruto blinked in confusion. "That's interesting Miya, but I have a couple questions of my own, like why you aren't trying to kill me, and why I didn't wake up when she joined us."

"Oh, those? I'm not trying to kill you because it's hardly your fault that Akitsu wanted to be so close, and I allowed it in the first place. As to why you didn't wake up... I hit a few points in your neck that kept you in sleep." Miya's answers were crisp and clear, not the kind of things he'd expect from a woman who just woke. Meaning she had been awake as long as he had, if not longer.

Well that was one less worry. Now if only he could feel safe enough to try leaving the bed. Waking to two beautiful women on his arms may be the dream of most men, but Miya was making enjoying it somewhat awkward or terrifying.

Really it was something of a toss up.

Then Miya smiled coldly. "But know that if anything lewd happens, you , my dear husband, will be skipping a fair number of meals in the future."

Anime-style waterfall tears escaped his eyes. "Yes, Miya." Almost immediately followed with quick devilish grin and peck on her cheek, bringing a light rosy hue to her face alongside a small smile.

"Ah... Jealous." Apparently Akitsu had awoken sometime during their conversation and saw the kiss, prompting Naruto give her one as well.

"Ara, good morning, Akitsu. Pray tell, where is the yukata I loaned you last night?" Miya's sweet voice was tinged with annoyance. She had given Akitsu that yukata because the poor woman had nothing else, save for that short medical robe.

"Ah... Uncomfortable. Took it off after coming to bed." Akitsu's monotone delivery made it hard to continue being annoyed. How can you stay mad at someone who simply stated the facts? It would be beyond illogical, and Miya was anything but illogical.

Slipping free of the two women, _'never thought I'd be adverse to just laying around with two beautiful women'_, Naruto quickly moved to a large wardrobe and began dressing for the day. "Alright, you two, we have things to do today, so you're going to have to get dressed. I'll start making breakfast while you get ready." Cinching a belt into place he headed for the kitchen, he had food to make.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

After breakfast, the three of them headed out, Akitsu once again wearing the same light blue kimono from the previous night. Naruto felt as though he was something of a quandary though. One beautiful woman on each of his arms, walking down the street towards the main shopping district of the north end of Tokyo. Both women looking as though he was their primary reason for even being alive with insipid expressions upon their flawless faces.

When did Miya learn to prank? And how did she get Akitsu to go along with it?

On that note, he felt extremely proud of her at that moment. Miya had discovered the pleasure of making others uncomfortable early in her relationship with Takehito, presumably from the inestimable man himself, but now she was learning the fine art of trolling people. Yes, Uzumaki Naruto was _very_ proud of his new wife, and his new concubine? How exactly was he supposed to classify Akitsu?

A Sekirei is one's "destined" life partner. He had two Sekirei, thus he had two life partners. A life partner is often referred to as a wife. Therefore, he had two wives? And it was possible for him to get more.

Naruto had the sudden urge to run screaming for the ever elusive hills, even though he knew it wouldn't do him any good. He might be a master of stealth, but the Bond made it virtually impossible to hide from Miya, and now there was Akitsu... Yeah, running would be pointless.

Fun? Perhaps, but pointless. In the end they'd find him, and he'd feel guilty for one reason or another, or until they dragged it out of him, and he'd just be worse than if he'd accepted it in the first place...

Oh, they'd arrived at the clothing store. Well now it was too late to even contemplate running, so he might as well suck it up. Besides, just how bad could it be? It was clothes, right?

-The author would like to take this moment to say: NAIVE DUMBASS!-

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Four hours later and Naruto was certain that clothes shopping had been invented by women to torture the men in their lives. Six stores, at _least_ forty different outfits ranging from extremely conservative, to outright NO! Akitsu was trying pretty much everything, and Naruto's reputation was taking a nosedive with the general female population of each store. Especially the lingerie store... And here he had thought Akitsu liked him.

That store didn't even _sell_ fundoshi!*

Finally Akitsu settled on a white kimono, with chains as accessories, that revealed a good portion of her cleavage and her shoulders, tied with a black obi, the chains seemingly being used to keep her top from simply falling off. Naruto and Miya were pleased with the fact she had chosen something that she wanted to wear, though Miya tried to get her into "less lewd" clothes. Ah, whatever, Naruto was happy. The view was gorgeous, even Miya's glare -as if it was _his_ fault Akitsu picked that outfit- couldn't drop his spirits.

Now if only he could get Miya into some of those earlier outfits. Her current miko-style was good, but Naruto couldn't help wishing he could have seen her in that one bikini... Wishful thinking, he knew it, but a man can hope.

-Keep dreaming, Bud, you're in for a long, _long_ wait-

Then there had been that lingerie store, what a nightmare! Or should that have been a wet dream? Naruto couldn't make up his mind, but he and Miya had found out something interesting about Akitsu there. Apparently her skin was rather sensitive in general, and anything less than silk was aggravating, so for her underwear she had gone with simple white garments. Tasteful, elegant, and somehow very erotic.

Naruto was still wondering just how she pulled off that kind of air wearing what amounted to little more than nearly-transparent fabric. It should just be erotic, right? But for some reason Akitsu managed an air of stately innocence.

**_HOW?!_**

-Good question... It's Akitsu?... Yeah, I got nothin'... and _I'm_ the author?... retirement sounds good right about now.-

Naruto blinked and scratched the back of head. "Why do I suddenly get the feeling I've been abandoned by Kami?"

Miya giggled softly into one of her sleeves. "Ara, Naruto-kun, I have no idea what you might be talking about. We two lovely young women are your wives, why would we want to harm you? Or humiliate, or subject you to ..."

"I get the idea." He held up one hand to interrupt her. Really, where did she get some of these ideas? On second thought, he didn't want to know. "What say we go home? We've got everything we set out for, right?"

Miya hummed in thought. While it was true that they had everything they had set out to get, she just didn't feel as though Naruto had suffered enough for getting another Sekirei only a month after winging her.

Oh, Miya knew he would get more, it was a given as he had winged her as his first. The question would be just how many? If he wound up winging the lot of them -unlikely, but possible- she'd probably give up all pretenses and just lock him in a cell somewhere, and feed him through a small slat. Naruto was _her_ husband/Ashikabi! ... Well, her's and Akitsu's, but that didn't mean she wanted to share him with all one hundred and seven of her "siblings".

Miya found herself fervently praying he didn't wing someone she couldn't stand, like _Karasuba_. Even just thinking it, the woman's name was filled with venom, enough to possibly kill a human. There was, quite literally, only one person Miya detested more, and that was Minaka.

"Miya, Miya, ya in there?" Naruto was waving his hand in front of her face. He had asked if they could go home, and Miya had blanked out, which was very un-Miya-like behaviour. Could she be lost in thought? "ITAI!" Okay, maybe she was just luring him into a false sense of security long enough to hit him over the head with that ladle... WHERE DID SHE KEEP THAT?! Wait, better question: _why_ did she have that?

A woman of many mysteries, is our dear Miya.

Clearing her throat, Miya put on a beatific smile. "Now, since we have everything, we probably should go home. I have to start lunch soon, and knowing my Ashikabi, he's probably hungrier than anyone else around."

A growl sounding from Naruto's stomach answered her statement. She had known him for little more than a month, and already knew his stomach better than he did... Akitsu found herself jealous, and latched onto Naruto's left arm. She may not have known him for as long, but her feeling for her new-found Ashikabi, her Beloved, were just as strong as Miya's, if not stronger.

As they walked home Miya reflected on the two impossible wingings that Naruto had managed. First there was Miya, herself. The Pillar, Sekirei Zero-One, the -technically- most powerful Sekirei. There truly should not have been a man out there that could wing her, but her Naruto was not just any man. He was apparently some sort of time/space traveler, if an unwilling one. This factor seemed to allow him to break the "rules" of the Sekirei Crest.

Then there was Akitsu, Sekirei Zero-Seven, the Ice Sekirei, The Broken Sekirei, The "Scrapped Number". Once again, there shouldn't have been a man -or woman- alive that could bring her Bond to fruition. But Naruto... Naruto had done it. Akitsu had such a powerful reaction that even in her state of half-Bond* she could follow his "feel" and find him.

A half-Bond was a dangerous thing. It represented a Sekirei who knew their Ashikabi, and would accept no other. This eventually lead to a degradation of the Sekirei Tama, or core, which lead to the Sekirei practically bursting apart from the inside as they obsessed with the Ashikabi they knew existed, but could not find. They entered a state of extreme depression, and could conceivably convince themselves that another person was their Ashikabi, if the desperation had become strong enough.

Miya shuddered. She was glad Akitsu had managed to escape that fate.

Basically, the half-Bond was when the Sekirei marked themselves as taken, the Crest appearing upon the forehead, even without having found their Ashikabi. It was more symbolic than anything, unless the reaction was powerful enough. Akitsu's Crest had appeared, if Miya remembered correctly, about six years ago... Around the time that Naruto entered their world!

Startled, Miya's gaze suddenly swept to her Ashikabi's face. He had affected the Sekirei even back then? Come to think of it, Miya had tried being winged by Takehito around the same time... _'Oh my God! Could Naruto-kun's arrival have been purposely timed to ruin the Sekirei? To change our previous destinies? Would he really do something like that?'_

Her shock must have reverberated down the Bond, because Naruto turned a concerned gaze to Miya. "Is everything alright?"

Shaking her head, Miya smiled. What was she thinking? Of course Naruto wouldn't do that. She had the memories of that frantic battle in his world. "No, everything's just fine, Naruto-kun. Just thinking about some things."

The concern didn't leave his gaze, but he did manage to give a smile in return. "If you say so."

The remainder of their trip back to Izumo was done in content silence, each of Naruto's Sekirei attaching themselves to one of his arms, after he had used a sealing scroll to put away all of the new clothing, groaning as he saw the interested gleam in Miya's eyes. He just knew that he was going to be her pack mule even more than usual now for groceries.

Funny thing was, he discovered he didn't really mind, so long as his Miya was happy.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Upon arriving at Izumo they discovered two people waiting for them at the door, a young-looking man with gray hair, and a young woman with orange hair. At least Naruto _thought_ the one person was male... Maybe he should call them an amoeba? This person looked male-ish, but had a definitive female vibe. It was very confusing. Maybe they were hiding their gender?

The other, definitely female, was much easier for him to recognize. Utatane Moegi, his female Kage Bunshin that was currently holding the placement of Minaka's secretary. What was she doing here? She wasn't supposed to make contact with him at all, as it could implicate her as one of his "compatriots".

Nodding to the orange-haired Kage Bunshin, Naruto cleared his throat. "Moegi, while it's nice to see you, who is this, and why are they with you?"

Moegi suddenly seemed incredibly nervous, if her fidgeting in place was anything to go by. "Well, you see Boss, it's ... well you wouldn't believe me if I told you, so maybe I should just dispell?" He just fixed her with a gimlet stare. "Right, I didn't think so. Well this is Homura, Sekirei Zero-Six, and she-he, What do I classify you as?!" Moegi shouted to the person standing beside her.

Homura blinked, and shrugged before answering in a non-gender specific voice. "I'm kind of in a transitional stage, so either one works. If it helps I will be female in a little less than a week."

Moegi sighed heavily. "Fine, _she_ hid in the back of my car this evening when I was leaving work, and when I discovered her -too late, I might add-, she practically begged me to take her some place safe. Since this is the only place I could think of, I brought her here."

The sound of a throat being cleared brought their attention to Miya and Akitsu, who wore identical blank expressions. When one of them finally spoke, it was Miya's calm tone, which was somehow very scary. "Naruto-kun, who is this, and how do you know her?"

"Um, she's a Kage Bunshin of mine that I left behind to monitor Minaka, and prank him at intermittent intervals?" Naruto couldn't quite keep the questioning tone out of his voice. He was going to explain everything over lunch, honest! ... Okay, it may have slipped his mind.

_'I never thought I'd need this, but it seems necessary:_**_Jiraiya's Second Ultimate Jutsu: BULLSHIT YOUR ASS OFF!_**_'_

"I was so distracted by the beauty of my two ladies I couldn't concentrate and wound up forgetting... and you aren't buying a word I said, are you?" A shake of the head was the answer he received. Naruto sighed. "Oh well, no one ever believed Jiraiya either." His shoulders slumped as he resigned himself to being berated, but all he got was... a hug?

Slightly confused, Naruto looked up to come eye-to-eye with Akitsu. _'Heh, even if her face doesn't have a great amount of expression, she does care.'_ A quick kiss to his lips from the ice-wielder broke his thoughts, and he was suddenly very glad that everyone there was either a Sekirei or him -Kage Bunshin or not- as her wings appeared.

Akitsu lay her head gently against his shoulder, a silent testimony to her support. In Akitsu's eyes, Naruto could do no wrong. He was her Ashikabi, her husband, her destiny. She would never doubt him, never question him, and she hoped to never disappoint him. Akitsu was still a little afraid that this was all either a dream or a cruel joke, it was too wonderful, and if Naruto rejected her for whatever reason... Well it wouldn't end pretty.

Naruto felt Akitsu's fear, and -temporarily forgetting the others- he hugged her tightly, whispering softly into her ear. "It's okay, Akitsu. It's alright, you're here, I'm here, and I'm not letting go. There's nothing to fear, my Akitsu."

Akitsu shivered, her emotions clearing. She knew he was right, he was her Ashikabi, he wouldn't lead her astray. For these reasons, and more, Naruto's words calmed Akitsu like nothing else, and for a moment she reveled in the emotions she could feel traveling down the Bond from him.

Naruto looked over Akitsu's head to his first Sekirei. Miya had an understanding and happy smile, she knew Akitsu was going to have difficulty believing in her wings. The young woman had been broken, Naruto had fixed that, winged her, and set everything right within Akitsu. It wasn't the kind of thing that could be put behind you easily.

The sound of a clearing throat startled all of them into remembering Homura and Moegi. Turning back around they saw Homura looking somewhat uncomfortable, and Moegi grinning. "Ah, sorry about that, Homura was it? You said you were looking for a safe place, well from what I was told, Izumo will always welcome those who need a place to go."

"I couldn't have said it better, Naruto-kun" Miya stepped up beside him, drawing his left arm around her shoulders. "Welcome to Maison Izumo, Homura."

"Please, call me Kagari.* I'll be using that from now on."

"As you wish, Kagari. Now then, rent is fifty-thousand a month, three meals are included in the price, as well as bath facilities. I'll wave the first month for now, until you can pay it, Naruto-kun has given us plenty for the time being that we can easily afford an extra mouth. Now, I'll show you to a room. There are only two rules I have here, no illicit or lewd actions, and no fighting within these walls, am I clear?" Miya's tone never changed from her pleasant start, but near the end her Hannya manifested itself, unnerving the newly-named Kagari.

"Ah, yes. Understood." Kagari would say just about anything right now to get rid of that mask!

As the group entered the Inn, Moegi left for her car. She had to get back to her cover apartment quickly, and hope that MBI hadn't bothered noticing her little side trip. If they did, she may have to pull a disappearing act, by running and dispersing herself. Oh well, such were the dangers of under cover work.

Just as Naruto and the others were removing their footwear, a red and white blur came rushing down the stairs, and barreled right into him. It was Matsu, and she was staring up at him in adoration, while holding something he had fervently hoped Miya would never see. Something small, square, and orange.

"Naruto-sama! SENSEI! Please, teach me the ways of the Super Pervert!" Matsu's voice was filled with nothing short of adulation, while Naruto suddenly broke out into a cold sweat.

Miya's instant response was another Hannya, with a chill in her voice that would make the North Wind sit up and take notes. "Naruto-kun, just what does she mean by that?"

_'When in doubt, deny, deny, DENY!'_ "I have no idea what she's talking about." He said with an absolutely straight face.

Matsu held up the book so it's title was easily read: Icha Icha Paradise, Hotspring Love. "I went out briefly today, disguised of course, and found this on the racks in the local bookstore. I noticed it said 'Adults Only', and figured 'why not?' When I got home, I opened it and discovered it was truly a work of the purest art! Plot, romance, SEX!" Here Matsu broke for a moment to giggle in a perverted manner. "I just had to know who wrote this piece of perfection! So I looked up the given author, Jiraiya, only to discover it was a fake name with no known ties! So I backtracked to when the series was first started, and found a pattern, hacked the publisher's cameras, and found out our own Naruto was the true author!"

Her proud declaration was met with absolute silence. Even the Hannya mask was caught by surprise. Don't ask how. Four sets of eyes turned in shock to Naruto.

"Would it help matters if I said I didn't write them? They really are the works of a man called Jiraiya, who used his dying wish to guilt me into keeping them in circulation." The flat stare, coupled with the deadpan delivery and complete honesty, was probably what saved him as the Hannya mask dissolved and an understanding look entered everyone's eyes. "Coincidentally, those books are what paid for today's shopping, the past month's bills, and probably the coming years as well."

Miya's expression went from understanding to floored, her jaw making intimate acquaintance with the ground. THIS was his method of making that obscene amount of money?! She had checked his wallet -a cute little frog pouch- once, and found it filled to almost bursting with high-numbered currency. Were the men of the human race truly so pathetic that they needed to buy this little book to get by?

Seeing her reaction, Naruto couldn't help but grin and go in for the proverbial kill. "Oh, and I asked the publisher to keep track on the gender ratio for buyers, and women outnumber men by nearly four to one. Apparently these books contain most of their personal fantasies."

And there was the smoke he was looking for, pouring from the broken mind of Miya. Poor woman, didn't even realize she was part of the minority now. Then he caught sight of Akitsu reading the book with her blank face, and became worried. If she was to try and emulate any of those scenes... Time to make a strategic retreat.

Clearing his throat, he grabbed Kagari by the shoulders and turned her around, pushing her toward the stairs. "How's about I show our new tenant to a room, and you get lunch started Miya?"

The two were already gone by time Miya's unfocused nod completed and she was already moving toward to kitchen. Could this day get any stranger?

-Please, Miya, don't ask that.-

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Sahashi Takami found herself in the unique position of being unable to focus. This had never happened before. She had a feeling about that Utatane Moegi, and had her car watched via satellite. Takami was hardly surprised when the woman had pulled into a small parking space to one side of Maison Izumo, known home of Uzumaki Naruto. What did surprise her though, was when Zero-Six Homura followed Utatane out of the car, when did he get there? He was supposed to be in the lab, resting during a transition period.

Zero-Six, Homura, was a fascinating subject, the only Sekirei with the ability to change gender based on their Ashikabi's preference. However, just because he was turning female didn't necessarily mean his Ashikabi was male. The unknown person he was reacting to could very well be female with a taste for other women, as in the case of Number Ten and her Ashikabi. But that wasn't the sticking point.

Takami had been correct in thinking that Utatane worked for Uzumaki, but the continued mystery surrounding the man made her pause before telling Minaka. She could use this, his connection to Utatane, to get more information on him. The only problem with that would be keeping this information out of Minaka's hands. Gods only knew what that madman would do with it.

With that in mind, Takami saved a copy of the video file to her personal tablet, and deleted all traces of it from the mainframe. Only time would tell if this was a stroke of stupidity or brilliance.

She had the uncomfortable feeling that she was very like Minaka at the moment.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

And so Homura has arrived at Maison Izumo! And already in the transitional stage between male and female. This is going to change things a fair bit, wouldn't you all agree? And what's wrong with Takami? Read and find out!

*Fundoshi, for those who don't know, is the Japanese loincloth. And for the record, I'm fairly certain no shop sells them... I could be wrong about that though.

*Half-Bond: something I made up for the purpose of this fic. You still don't know what it is? Re-read the chapter. It's in there.

*As far as I'm aware, Kagari is a gender-neutral name. As such I do not feel the need to think up something else.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** I keep getting requests for Uzume. For the last time: No. She's got her Ashikabi. Leave her be... Yahan, I'll think about her. Don't hold your breath on it though.

As to the other common request, Karasuba... HELL to the **_NO!_** I don't like her, partly because there is nothing about her _to_ like. She's not misunderstood, she's not secretly kind, she is NOT happening in this story! You can stop bugging me for her now.

Yet again, I put a shout out to my pal, Mr. AnimeKidd for his help with this story.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 05**

With the inclusion of Kagari, life at Izumo settled down somewhat. Miya and Akitsu were quite often found cooking or cleaning, and Naruto discovered a green thumb with the Inn's garden. Matsu was her usual reclusive self, and Uzume came and went as she usually did, sometimes in costumes she said were for "cheering up" her Ashikabi.

Naruto didn't leave himself with only gardening, however, as he also took to training again. He had let himself get a little lax with his techniques that didn't involve staying out of sight, so he began getting himself further in shape. Miya and Akitsu quite often joined him, and at times seemed only vaguely surprised at what he managed to pull off. Miya tended to be less surprised, but that was only because she had seen parts of his previous life.

Miya said it best, two weeks into his training: "Just how many techniques can one person know?!" The only response she got got was a cheeky grin from Naruto. It wasn't really fair, even though she was better with a sword, and she knew he loved her enough to at least pretend to be afraid of her, he was still the more powerful when he felt like it. Granted that wasn't often, as he was incredibly laid back, but it still stung Miya's pride as Sekirei Zero-One.

Then there was the fact that for some reason he had lost a great deal of his power from his previous world, along with a few years off his age. When his home had been attacked, Naruto was in his early twenties, when Father Hideo found him, he was in his mid-teens. With this Naruto would have a hell of a time getting back up to his previous level.

On top of this, Naruto said that Kurama, a giant nine-tailed fox living within a Seal on Naruto's body, was sleeping and refused to wake up. With that power steadfastly ignoring his calls, he was pretty much back where he started at the age of fifteen, just with the knowledge of more techniques. The only cure for that would be time spent training, and in the past six years he had focused more on stealth, Katon (Fire Release), and Futon (Wind Release) manipulation than much else.

Though he also retained three powerful states he called "Sage Mode", he simply found it weaker due to this world's heavy reliance upon technology, "Kyuubi Mode", in which he became a living gilded flame. Naruto was reluctant to use his Kyuubi Mode, however, as he saw it as stealing from his friend while he -Kurama- slept. Sage Mode, though, he had absolutely no compunction against using.

Sage Mode ran off what Naruto termed as "Natural Energy", that which resided within all living things that weren't human. In other words, it was pure Life Force from the planet itself. Raw power, harnessed to Naruto's will, but in balance with his own chakra to keep from letting it run rampant. Not the safest of techniques, unless you have it mastered... like Naruto.

The third, and final form, he called "Rikudo Sennin Mode"... Naruto simply described this form as "God Mode", and said if he was forced to use it everyone should run. Very far away, very quickly. It was his literal "last resort", and he desperately hoped to not need that level of power. Partly because he didn't want to use it, and partly because his chakra coils needed to get large enough again to handle it. Currently, if he should use it, he'd only be able to hold it for a few minutes. Fortunately, those few minutes are all he'd likely need.

At this point he was relearning his old Doton (Earth Release) element techniques in hope of getting back to his Yoton. His train of thought was fairly simple: Miya had short range with her blade, and Akitsu was covering long range with her ice, so he'd be their defense with Earth. It made sense, to him at least.

Two months after Kagari had come to live at Maison Izumo, the residents started to notice a marked increase in the number of Sekirei being released. Previously it had been a trickle, maybe one or two every three or four months, now it was nearly double that. Miya was begining to wonder if it meant Minaka was speeding up his plans, but nothing else seemed to indicate such.

Though Kagari had managed to get herself a job at a host club, imitating a male of all things, so she could pay her own way at Izumo. Her transition into a female had been disorienting for her at first, but she soon got the hang of it, she felt like she had always been meant to be a woman. It was this feeling that at first had her confused. She was originally male, so why did she feel right as a woman? After the first month Kagari found that she simply didn't care anymore. She was who she was, and what she was meant to be, and she was content.

Kagari was, however, adamant in refusing to believe she might be reacting to someone. She was one of those born of Fire, ones cursed to be alone forever.

Oh how wrong she was going be.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

It was a perfect night for a stroll through a local park, Naruto decided. The sky was clear, the stars were visible -for a change-, the trees of this park were in their autumn colors, many of them shedding their leaves along the path he currently followed, the odd lamppost giving an almost ethereal lighting, and there was a woman screaming in distress... Wait, dammit, now it was ruined. Time go play Hero...

Taking a look in the direction the scream came from, Naruto noticed something odd about the girl. Her style of dress was indiscreet, to say the least. In the main it could be called a style of miko-dress, but that would be somewhat generous and only due to the style of knots and such used to keep it all in place. Black halter-style top with a large amount of cleavage exposed, cloth collar, long white sleeves that weren't attached to said top, short white skirt with a lightly longer black piece in the front, long black and white stockings, with reed sandals to finish it off.*

Then he took note of the weapons strapped to either side of her hips; Nihontou, Japanese swords typically wielded by samurai. Seems she decided to dual-wield them, which automatically put up red flags in Naruto's mind. The flash of a particular symbol stitched onto the left side of her top -which only really covered her breast- confirmed his suspicion.

She was a Sekirei. -Kind of a given, no?-

A somewhat familiar one at that. Her long red hair, and deep brown eyes echoing in his memory. She was the one that had been tailing him for the past three months! Or trying to. He was unnaturally perceptive of his surroundings, and ditched her with little to no effort every time he noticed her.

Now, though, here she was, surrounded by what appeared to be two winged Sekirei, trying to catch her. That just would not do. Not at all, and if Miya ever heard about Naruto turning his back on such a thing she'd do her level best to castrate him. She might not succeed, but she and Akitsu would certainly make his life miserable for the foreseeable future.

That was when he _finally_ took notice of the fourth woman of the scene. She was fairly tall, with short gray hair, red half-moon glasses, frilled kimono-style dress enhancing her large bust, a slit ran the length of the right side of her long skirt, showing off a good deal of creamy white skin, and long purple-striped white gloves covering her arms. If the lack of a mark on the back of her neck was any indication she was also unwinged, like his "stalker", or just an ordinary human in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yeah, right. What were the chances of that? With the way Naruto's luck worked, there was no way this other woman wasn't a Sekirei too.

For just a moment, Naruto looked up into the night sky at a particularly bright speck. Then he returned his attention to the scene before him. Sighing heavily, he moved quickly, placing himself between the two sides.

"Hah? Who's this stupid fucker?" The crass language came from one of the two winged Sekirei. She had short, spiky brown hair, dark eyes, and was wearing a purple and yellow spandex outfit that highlighted her toned body. A snort from the other one made known her mirth.

"A stupid little human, trying to play hero? Seriously? Hey, pal, do you not know not to stick your nose in something that isn't your business?" This one had long green hair, a purple two-piece top and shorts combination, and carried a staff. Her voice was filled with disdain and condescension.

"Hm? I'm sorry, did you say something?" Naruto felt a warmth in his chest, somewhere Kakashi was proud of him.

Veins became noticeable upon the two winged Sekirei's brows. Oh, they didn't like that, huh? Well Naruto was certain, by the end of the encounter they would either utterly loathe him, or be recovered by MBI due to being deactivated.

He was heavily betting on the former. Well since he started this encounter off in Kakashi-style, Naruto figured he might as well continue it in the same vein. So, in true homage to his former Jonin-Sensei, he rubbed the back of his head while giving a classic eye-smile, complete with the sudden appearance of the traditional half-mask. Where that thing came from, no one knew, and it rather unnerved the two antagonistic Sekirei.

"Ah, sorry about this. I saw four little birds gathered, with two bullying the others, and thought I'd introduce myself. Uzumaki Naruto, Ashikabi of Sekirei Zero-One and Zero-Seven." His face never left the eye-smile, and his tone was pleasant, but the lazy undercurrent was enough to throw all four women off their respective games.

Blinking rapidly, the short-haired one was the first to break free of the moment. "Uzumaki Naruto? _This_ is the Ashikabi of the North's Hannya?! You have _got_ to be joking! This piece of shit is what our Master is worried about? What is this? A bad joke?! And if that were true, why would an Ashikabi be caught without his Sekirei? It's just stupid. No human can stand up to one of us!"

Naruto's affable eye-smile died immediately. "Maybe I'm without them, because like them, I'm not actually human? Maybe it's because I can handle myself? Or maybe it's because you two are so weak and pathetic that I wouldn't need them in thousand years?"

The sudden shift from bumbling and happy, to outright serious threw them all off again. What was with him? Was he bipolar or something? Multiple personalities, maybe? And what was with those stupid questions? Was he an idiot or simply insane?

-No, ladies, he's just nuts.-

Snorting in anger, the short haired chambered a fist by hip. "Sekirei number Eighteen, Ichiya. You can die now that you know who killed you, foolish human."

With that said, Ichiya shot the punch directly at Naruto's face. Unfortunately for her, Naruto was quite experienced when it came to fighting those specialized in Taijutsu, and this woman wasn't nearly as fast as Lee on his worst day. With that in mind, he caught her wrist a foot away from his face and pulled it off to one side, unbalancing Ichiya in the process, and leading her to take a nasty little fall... face first into a lamppost.

"Oh, dear. It seems you've gone and injured yourself. Now what would your instructor think of that?"

Enraged like never before, Ichiya spun around with a haymaker, missing Naruto's jaw by mere millimeters. However, a miss is a miss, and this just pissed Ichiya off more. Swinging wildly, she never even noticed that Naruto was always being missed by the barest of possible margins. With each miss the two unwinged Sekirei became more and more amused.

"Oh, my. You should be more careful. You could hurt someone swinging your fists around like that." His tone was once again jovial, even as he guided Ichiya's face into a tree with all the force she could muster, rendering the woman unconscious.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I told her she could hurt someone, and would you look at that? She went and knocked herself out!" He turned to the staff-wielder, who was watching with her jaw firmly set upon the ground. "Well, one down, and one to go, I suppose. Are you going try next, miss...?"

Blinking rapidly, Ichiya's partner just stood there, trying to understand how Ichiya was unable to land even a single blow on a _human_, before shaking her head to clear it and taking a low stance. "Number Sixteen, Toyotama. I don't know what kind of tricks you pulled against Ichiya, but they won't work on me!" Her voice was firm and without doubt.

Naruto's visage turned serious again. "Well, then I suppose I'll have to use something different, on you, will I?"

The man disappeared from Toyotama's sight, reappearing directly behind her in a crouch. The two unwinged Sekirei were gobsmacked at how fast this man was, and how easily he was handling the two winged girls. They also had a prime view of Naruto's hands, which were in the classic Tiger Hand Seal from ancient times.

"**Konohagakure Taijutsu Ougi: Sennen Goroshi!**" With a mighty cry, he heaved his chakra-empowered fingers forward and up... straight into Toyotama's easily accessible bottom. This caused two reactions: Toyotama went flying with her hands clasped instinctively to her rear end, while the audience's jaws once more made acquaintance with the dirt, followed by heavy blushes.

Toyotama's flight ended abruptly when her head met the same tree her partner's had not long before, knocking her into blissful unconsciousness as well. Seeing his work done, Naruto turned his attention to the two unwinged Sekirei.

"Well, that was fun. Now what am I to do with you two? I could let you go, but is that really the best idea..."

And there it was, the eye-smile had returned full-force. Oh, Kami, the blushes on the two women's faces were getting stronger, could it be...? Looking at each other, the two made eye contact, and an entire conversation happened in that moment.

_'Saki, are you feeling this?'_

_ 'Yeah, Kocho, I think I am. What do you wanna do?'_

_ 'I don't know! We're reacting to him! Should we get our wings?'_

_ 'He's MIYA'S Ashikabi too, could we deal with her? Would she even allow it?'_

_ 'If we're his Sekirei, she can't actually argue... can she?'_

_ 'Maybe not, but she might make life a living Hell.'_

_ 'I...I don't care! This reaction, it's too strong for me to ignore and try to find another!'_

_ 'Yeah, I hear you. I don't think I can ignore it either.'_

_ 'So, are you still afraid of Miya?'_

_ 'Yeah, but if we're with him, I don't think it'll be nearly as scary.'_

_ 'So we're agreed then?'_

_ 'Yes... but you go first.'_

The gray-haired woman broke eye contact first and swiftly walked over to the man and quickly grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket, bringing herself up and kissing his lips. A set of silver-colored wings burst forth from her back.

Her eyes opened as she let go of Naruto. "I am Kocho, Sekirei Number Twenty-two, by the power of my Contract, my Ashikabi's fears will be laid to rest. I am yours, Now and Forever, Ashikabi-sama."

Naruto's head was swimming, he wasn't really expecting to get another Sekirei. He briefly wondered what Miya was going to say when his jacket was grabbed a second time, and another pair of lips found his, this time resulting in pure white wings coming forth.

The second Sekirei sighed as she released him and looked deep into his eyes. "I and Saki, Sekirei Number Fifty-five. By the blades of my Contract, my Ashikabi's enemies will be purified. I am yours, Now and Forever, Ashikabi-sama."

Naruto's ass met ground as his legs refused to hold him up any longer. Not just one, but _two_ Sekirei? He didn't have to wonder about his "darling wife's" reaction anymore; she was going to freak, and he'd be on the proverbial couch for the rest of the year.

Dearest Kami, why him?!

-Because the author is a cruel man who wants to see you suffer!-

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

For once Takami was on the precipice of unrestrained laughter when the alert sounded about another Sekirei being winged. First it was Twenty-two, Kocho, with the image of Uzumaki beside it. This alone was enough to induce a snort of amusement, then Fifty-five popped up not thirty seconds later, also with Uzumaki's picture.

Oh, not only would Miya not like this, but Minaka just lost his spy, one he specifically released without a tracker so no one would know where she was but him. Now she was on Uzumaki's team, and Minaka was without her services. This situation was priceless.

Fortunately for her, that wasn't were it ended, unfortunately the next part was what really had her about to bust a gut. Minaka had come out of the elevator with a new hair style, courtesy of a prank that Naruto had somehow managed to perpetrate on him. -Takami was willing to bet an obscene amount of money on Utatane Moegi, for being Uzumaki's enabler.- Instead of the typical gravity-defying white Takami had come to know and despise, Minaka now sorted bright green and purple dreads. He had tried everything shy of destroying his hair with acid to get rid of it, and by the fact she was still seeing it, he had obviously failed.

Drastically, if the sudden sprouting of orange was any indication. How in the world had Uzumaki managed to do _that_? On second thought, Takami decided she didn't want to know. Because if she did know, she knew she'd do it to Minaka too.

That thought brought Takami up short, instantly dissolving her urge to laugh. Blinking rapidly, she wondered just when she had thought that pranking Minaka would be her kind of thing? Could Uzumaki be corrupting her somehow? Or was it simply the variety of pranks that had occurred in the past months that had finally colored her sense of humor?

... Since when did she _have_ a sense of humor? Takami had assume she killed it long before she ever entered high school. Her mother had even gone so far as to erect a small shrine in it's memory. So what brought it back to life?

Was it the diarrhea incident? The pie to Minaka's face a few days later? The dying of the disciplinary squad's uniforms to a solid bright pink? The paint bombs filled with yellow paint that assaulted the entire building? Or perhaps it was the random scenes from their security cameras that had been stitched together perfectly into the oddest drama between Minaka and a wall that was shown throughout the company?

Oh, so many pranks, in such little time. This Uzumaki was either a genius, or certifiably insane. Unfortunately, in Takami's experience, the two were not mutually exclusive. Minaka was living proof of that.

That thought brought her up short once again. If this Uzumaki was as unpredictable in his way, as Minaka was predictable... Oh no, if the two ever managed to team up, the world would be doomed. The only good thing, was that it seemed the two of them had fundamentally different morals.

Namely: Uzumaki had some, while Minaka did not.

Finally giving vent to a chuckle at the sight of Minaka's hair, which now included streaks of bright blue, Takami turned and left the room. She had decided, she needed more information, and the best place to look at the moment was the only person she knew that was in contact with Uzumaki.

Utatane Moegi.

Takami would show a portion of her hand, in this game of wits, a gamble to see if he was worth knowing further. If he was, she'd have to find a way to talk to him in person. If he wasn't, then she'd probably just sit back and enjoy the pranks he pulled on Minaka.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto sighed in trepidation, approaching Maison Izumo after the surprise winging of Kocho and Saki. It was much later than he had originally thought he'd be, so it was guaranteed that Miya would be annoyed with him, and Akitsu would be worried that he hadn't taken her with him.

He just knew that things would be going downhill when he had to introduce his new Sekirei to them. Akitsu was still a little insecure about her place at his side, and was likely to take the news as an indirect way of him saying that she was being replaced, no matter how far from the truth that was. He'd have to figure out how to allay that fear...

Well, never let it be said that Uzumaki Naruto wasn't good at thinking on his feet. He'd deal with the situation when it arose. Though his solution was going to have to be somewhat dramatic, he knew that much. He couldn't afford to be subtle when allaying Akitsu's fear of being discarded. He made a promise to her, to always be there, and he'd be damned if he broke it.

He opened the door and was immediately assaulted by Miya's stern smile and Hannya Mask, with Akitsu standing a little behind her. Oh, that smile was never a good sign. The mask was ignorable, by him, but it was an unnecessary irritant.

"Ara, Naruto-kun, you're home so late, and with new faces following you. Dare I assume they are your newest Sekirei?" Miya's voice was pleasant, if a little cold. So she managed to feel the creation of the two new Bonds, did she? Just like when Akitsu became his, Miya already knew. Was this normal for Sekirei? Or was this Miya?

Naruto shrugged. "Miya, would you put away that Hannya mask already? You're scaring your sisters. Akitsu, remind me to take someone with me when I go out for walks from now on, would you?"

Akitsu nodded, her face a perfect blank mask, but he could feel her worry. Sighing, Naruto stepped inside and pulled both Akitsu and Miya into an embrace. The two of them stiffened slightly, before melting into the hug, embracing him in return.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, but you both should know I can take care of myself if the need arises. The fact I returned with two more Sekirei bonded to me should come as no surprise, we all knew it was possible." He paused just long enough to give them a quick peck on the lips, not enough for their wings to show, but enough to let them feel it. "You are not being replaced, or discarded. I would never do that, and I would hope that you both know me well enough by now to know it."

Akitsu and Miya lay their heads on his chest, closing their eyes to enjoy that warmth he projected, before nodding. They did know, but their hearts were still in turmoil, and only his presence calmed them, let them feel it on an instinctual level. He was their foundation, their rock. In time they'd be able to be away from him, but that wasn't liable to be anytime in the near future.

Pulling away slightly, Miya looked over Naruto's shoulder, and smiled genuinely at the two new members of her Ashikabi's flock. "I'm sorry you had to witness that. Welcome to Maison Izumo, I have only two rules for while you are within these walls. First, there is to be no violence. Second, keep the lewd acts to a minimum. Kisses are fine, hugging is perfectly allowable, and sharing a bed at night is a given for us Sekirei with an Ashikabi. However, sex is not allowed... yet." Here she sent a small look at Naruto, filled with her affection for him. She would not allow anyone else to claim him first, but she wasn't quite ready for it yet herself.

Not just yet. Soon, though. Very soon, Miya felt she would be ready to finally give herself over to her new Love. Takehito would understand, and if his spirit couldn't... then fuck him. Miya _wanted_ to be one with Naruto, to be his wife fully, and she knew Akitsu did as well. That act alone would most likely cement everything.

For now, though, she had two new "sisters" to welcome home, and dinner to serve. It wouldn't do for her husband to go hungry, not after all the effort she and Akitsu had put into making all that food. After all, it was the first meal that Akitsu had made after she started learning from Miya, and occasionally Naruto.

After their shopping trip, Miya had demonstrated a very protective side toward Akitsu, often treating the ice-user more as a child needing guidance, than as a fellow adult. Though, in her defense, Akitsu had a natural air of innocence that only made it harder to resist treating in such a way. As a result, Akitsu managed to get away with many things that Naruto doubted anyone else would, such as following him into the bath to wash him... all of him. Akitsu was very attentive in that regard, if she chose to do something, she wanted to do all of it perfectly... but who in the world taught Akitsu that it had to be done completely naked, and that to properly wash his back, she needed to lather her breasts and use them to spread the soap?

Neither Naruto nor Miya could be certain, but both suspected a certain red-head hiding behind a false wall on the second floor, for corrupting the innocent Akitsu.

Saki and Kocho exchanged a glance. Their Ashikabi cared deeply for his Sekirei, they could see that clearly. And just as clearly, the first two cared for him. Even they, Saki and Kocho, were already deeply enshrouded in Naruto's love, new as they were. He didn't care about who came first, or what their circumstances were, Naruto would love them all equally.

The group retreated to the dining room, where dinner waited with a patient Kagari, who was home for once. It would be a quiet affair, just a gathering of people who basked in each other's presence and talked of inconsequential things, even as Saki and Akitsu attempted to feed Naruto despite his light protests.

They were family now, and like a family they would grow together, and learn to understand one another. For, in the words of Uzumaki Naruto, family comes first.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Later that night found Naruto sitting on the veranda, a saucer of saké in hand, and a bottle of the same not far from him, looking up at the stars and enjoying the breeze that ruffled his hair. It was moments like this that he cherished greatly, the peace and serenity that could be found amongst the chaos. These moments weren't necessarily rare, but they could be difficult to find if you weren't paying attention.

Into this tranquil time stepped Kagari, coming back from a late call-in. "Ah, Naruto-san, I was actually hoping you would still be awake."

Sipping lightly, Naruto hummed. "Oh? And why could that be, I wonder?"

Kagari seated herself down on the other side of the bottle, to Naruto's left. "I'm curious about something that Miya mentioned in passing once, a little while ago. She said you had the ability to create and control fire, like I do."

In point of fact, it was no mere passing comment Miya had made. The violet-haired woman had noticed Kagari struggling to maintain control of the flames, and had made the statement that Naruto had what seemed to be perfect control of his own flames. To Miya, while Kagari was not one of her Ashikabi's Sekirei, the gray-haired flame wielder was one of her kin, and therefore Miya felt compelled to help her.

Naruto simply let another hum sound. So that was what Kagari wanted to know about, was it? He supposed he could offer what he knew. It's not as though it was some big secret. He turned his head a little to stare at the woman from the corner of his eye, taking note of her body language and facial expressions.

He was not impressed, and it was reflected in his voice when he finally broke the silence. "Well, for starters, you shouldn't hate the flame, Kagari. Hate will get you nowhere with this power, but your own destruction."

Kagari's body tensed, her face showed shock. How did he know she hated her power? It didn't matter, he was right about that much, but did he truly understand?She raised her right fist, and glared at it. "This power is untamed, and sets me apart, as I cannot control it. Why shouldn't I hate it? Because I am 'born of fire' I cannot ever have an Ashikabi, for those of fire are fated to be alone forever."

Naruto stretched one hand out, covering Kagari's fist and drawing her eyes to his gaze, his blue eyes shining intensely, with complete conviction. "Fire is willful, it will not bend to one it feels is weaker than itself. This power is _yours_, you control the flames, they do not control you. Do not listen to the words of someone who does not have the power, a normal human could never understand."

The next words spoken by the blonde echoed in Kagari's mind, words that seemed to be in a deeper, rougher version of Naruto's voice. _"Fire is wild, strong, passionate, and majestic. Not unlike the wind. However, unlike the wind it cannot be persuaded, or cajoled. The essence of flames lies their passion to overcome all obstacles, to burn through all that would stand in their way. They will not submit to one who is weaker than them, you must force them to obey. There is no curse, there is only will or it's lack. Fight, _**_Homura_**_, and don't ever stop."_

A sudden understanding flashed into her gray eyes, and her gaze flashed to their joined hands, forcing her will to bear fruit. The woman's fist burst into joyous flames, for the first time fire answered her will exactly. Neither she, nor Naruto, were harmed by the blazing flame upon her hand. It was sedate, tame, _controlled_. Her heart beat wildly in euphoria.

Finally, she had the clue that had been evading her. Everything clicked into place. It would be a continuous struggle, but she could do it. No. She _would_ do it. The power was within her, and she would bring it to heel.

**_Homura_**, the voice said. The name meant "Flame". It was homage to her power over the element of fire. She was the flame, and the flame was her. There could be no division, but neither could she feel inferior. She and the Flame were one, but her will must be dominant, lest the power rampage and destroy that which she did not wish it to. Yes, she was Homura, a Child of Flame.

It was only a begining, a start, but it was so much more than she had ever hoped for. And it was all thanks to this one man, this human-who-was-not-human. Uzumaki Naruto. Homura glanced up to his face once more, and felt an unaccustomed heat assail her cheeks, even as her heart pounded more furiously within her breast.

His gaze was still serious, and fierce, reminding her that this was a man who had suffered and _fought_ his way to his power. It was the face of a man who had seen innumerable battles, and learned many harsh truths, but had witnessed and experience many triumphs as well. This was a man at peace with himself, who was fully content with who and what he had become.

And, as cliche as she knew it was, to her it was also the face of a Hero. A man she felt could lead her to a new plateau, a new world. A man she would be proud to follow and serve for all her days. A man that could give her Wings, her _Ashikabi_.

That last word brought Homura out of a daze she didn't even realize she was in. Ashikabi? _Hers?!_ What was she thinking? Was it even possible?

Silently, she went over all the information she had about herself; Fire element, born male but capable of changing gender based on her Ashikabi's preferences... She had started changing into a woman that same day Naruto winged Akitsu, almost directly after that moment from what she had been able to piece together.

Homura's eyes widened. There was no way to deny it further, not without deluding herself, and she refused to be deluded. She was _reacting,_ to Naruto, Miya's Naruto! Akitsu's Naruto! And now, Saki and Kocho's Naruto!

**_Homura's_** Naruto.

This was bad, she didn't want to be tied down to an Ashikabi yet. She had so much she wanted to do, but she also knew it was a horrible idea to try and fight the Bond. If she fought it her powers would become even more unstable, eventually leading to her inevitable self-cremation. Besides, would it really be so bad, to be Bonded to Naruto?

Over the two months since she had arrived without warning on their doorstep, Homura had found that she rather liked the blonde man. He was funny, motivated, endearing, helpful, knowledgeable, and serious when the situation called for it. Pretty much everything she could ask for in an Ashikabi. So why did she still feel hesitant? Maybe she could try and bring it up gently? Yeah, that could work...

She cleared her throat quietly. "Naruto-san... I-um, that is..." Oh, Kami, this was harder than she thought.

Naruto's expression changed from serious, to amused. "Oi, not again. Let me guess, you're reacting. To me."

Homura nodded dumbly. Was it really so apparent? Well, he had gone through this three times already; Miya was first, then Akitsu, and then today's incident with Saki and Kocho. So perhaps he was simply learning what the formation of a Bond felt like on his end? Where Naruto was concerned, Homura wasn't really willing to rule anything out.

Naruto snorted, his amusement much more evident. "Well, I can't say I was expecting this when I gave you that advice, Homura, but I'm not going to force you. What do _you_ want, Homura?"

The woman blinked. He'd said it twice, just then. "Homura". When had she decided to drop "Kagari"? She knew in her heart that she would probably never use that fake name in Izumo again, but when did she make the decision? Or was it simply because Naruto used it? When he said her real name, the heat in her chest increased a little, as though proud to be called that name by this man.

"I want..."

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

OOOO! EVIL CLIFFHANGER! What is Homura's answer? Find out next time!

*Saki's outfit is incredibly difficult to describe, so it you still can't picture it, I'd suggest looking her up on the Sekirei wiki. As for her weapons, the wiki only states that she uses "Japanese swords, called Nihontou, usually used by samurai". Going by this I figured she used two katana, either that or it was a katana and wakizashi set. So I picked two katana, modeling her somewhat after Miyamoto Musashi.

I should also make note, that I have nothing more than a pencil sketch to work with for an image, so her hair color may not be correct. I'm taking liberties with her character design because I can. Until the creator comes out with a colored image, Saki's a red-head.

Here's a small profile on Saki, everything I can say for certain about her, along with the rest of Naruto's current Sekirei, in other words, his first four.

Name: Saki

Number: 55

Height: 163cm

Three Sizes: B81/W60/H86

Weapon: Nihontou (x2)

Specialty: Spying

Name: Kochō (I cannot, for the life of me, find that damned accented o, so this is copied straight from her profile on the Wiki.)

Number: 22

Height: about 164cm? (I'm guessing)

Three Sizes: around B93/W62/H74? (guessing again)

Weapon: None

Specialty: access electronic devices. (Yes, just like Matsu, she's a Brain-type)

Name: Miya

Number: 01

Height: 161cm

Three Sizes: B87/W56/H87

Weapon: sword (making it a chokuto 'cuz it lacks the curve of a katana)

Specialty: scaring people?

Name: Akitsu

Number: 07

Height: 169cm

Three Sizes: B89/W57/H88

Weapon: None (Deadpan expression for the win?)

Specialty: Ice Element

One final note: I will **NOT** be putting lemons in this story. I will reference sex, I will allow certain situations, but I will not be putting actual lemons in. If you don't like that, then fuck you, go read something else.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Okay.. I'm getting requests for Yume somehow escaping from within Musubi, and joining Naruto's flock. ... I'll give some thought to it. However, _IF_ I manage it, Yahan and Yume will be the end of it. Naruto will be at nine Sekirei, the perfect number to finish at.

Again I put out thanks to my man, Mr AnimeKidd.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own either Naruto or Sekirei.

**Chapter 06**

_'I want...'_

Those two words preceded perhaps the hardest decision of Homura's life. But, she had chosen, and she would stand by it. There would be no looking back, only forward, to her future.

A future she had chosen to spend... as Sekirei to Uzumaki Naruto. Homura chose to gain her wings that very night, and there were no regrets in her heart. She knew he would love her, and with his help she could ascend to higher skies.

Oh, Kami help her, she was starting to use those horribly cliche euphemisms! What next? Kazehana stopped drinking?

-Well, now that you mentioned it, my dear... PSYKE!-

Homura had the strangest feeling she dodged a karmic bullet of some sort. Maybe she should stop tempting fate? That sounded like a good idea, it might even help keep her sane. Kami knows that her new Ashikabi wasn't the best of choices when one wanted an image of sanity. The man had tried to create what he called "Ramen Buns".

... Don't ask. Long story short, it was an enormous disaster.

In the three weeks since she got her wings, Homura had been witness to a very strange dynamic. Miya, the somewhat strict Landlady and wife; Akitsu, the innocent and eager to please; Saki, the optimistic blade wielder that somehow confounded Homura's senses and managed to hide from anyone but Naruto; Kocho, the analytical brain-type, with an intense desire to know more; Homura, herself, the quiet and solitary woman, who nonetheless loved her Ashikabi.

Then there was Naruto. Their Ashikabi was literally the glue that bound them all together as a cohesive whole. The man was practically everywhere at once. Cooking with Miya, cleaning with Akitsu, tending the gardens with Kocho, sparring with Saki, and debating philosophy with Homura, all the while pranking MBI like there was no tomorrow, and power napping in the afternoons.

If it weren't for those naps and the fact Homura _knew_ he slept at night, she'd worry about Naruto burning himself out with everything he was doing. She sincerely hoped that, should it come to pass, he got more Sekirei, that it wouldn't happen for a long time. She didn't want to see Naruto hurt himself making them all happy.

Well, there was _one_ thing that had happened that hadn't made any of the Sekirei happy; today Sahashi Takami had come by Izumo to make the acquaintance of their Ashikabi. Unfortunately the two of them seemed to be hitting it off, if only because both of them loathed Hiroto Minaka. In fact, that loathing was what allowed Takami to even enter Izumo, she and everyone who called it home had something in common.

Go figure, their mutual hatred of Minaka created an unholy alliance between Miya and Takami. And all it took was Takami's network access rights given to Kocho, in exchange for a date with Naruto. Apparently Takami had become extremely interested in the blonde man through her talks with one Utatane Moegi, who Takami still didn't know didn't actually exist, and she wanted to learn more from the man himself.

They scheduled for the same day of the following week. They couldn't do it any sooner, Takami still had to keep up appearances after all, and Naruto still had pranks he needed to pull. With her access codes that job became so much easier, it almost wasn't funny.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

A week came and went, and MBI was hit with a rash of pranks that, oddly enough, never once touched anywhere near the Sekirei Holding Area. They focused primarily upon Minaka, and a few of them targeted his vaunted "Disciplinary Squad", a small group of Sekirei that had Minaka's version of carte blanche to do pretty much anything they wanted, so long as they enforced the rules of his "Game".

Takami almost felt sorry for Zero-Four, Karasuba, when the woman woke one morning with bright green hair and a drawing of a kappa's beak on her face. Almost, but not quite. For some reason, Takami's "motherly instincts" never reacted toward Karasuba, no one quite knew why.

-Going out on a limb, but it might be the bloodlust and general insanity. Just saying-

A black limousine pulled up in front of Maison Izumo, the driver, an elderly-looking gentleman, got out and went to the door of the house. Knocking, the man waited for a response. He had to admit to being impressed slightly by the prompt opening of the door, and the figure the blonde man in front of him cut in that suit. A simple charcoal-gray and pin-stripe suit, with white shirt, open at the collar instead of a tie.

Clearing his throat, the older man spoke in a voice better suited to Buckingham Palace, than a small side street in northern Tokyo. "Good evening, sir. My name is Jeeves, I am to be your driver for the evening, as paid for by MBI. Shall we go? your date is waiting in the car."

Naruto nodded. "Of course, we musn't keep the lady waiting. Lead on, Jeeves."

Jeeves lead Naruto to the back of the car and opened the door, revealing an absolutely stunning-looking Takami. A one-piece, cross-strap evening gown, with a slit up the right leg to her hip, all in black, her natural gray hair was pulled up into a bun on top of her head, leaving a single strand to frame the left side of her face.

Naruto couldn't hold a small whistle as he entered the car, Jeeves closing the door behind him.

"Pulling out all the stops, are we? You look good, Takami-san."

A small smile graced her features, softening the usually hard lines of her face. "I could say the same, Naruto-san. You aren't exactly hard on the eyes tonight either."

Naruto settled himself comfortably beside the woman. "So, I'd assume you have a plan for our evening? This is your idea, after all."

Takami held up a black credit card. "I swiped Minaka's card for the night, so we can simply go nuts with whatever we want, though I'll admit to having called in a reservation for a certain restaurant I've become rather fond of."

Naruto slipped his left arm around Takami's shoulders. "My dear Lady, I do believe this could be the start of a beautiful friendship. Now, what say we bankrupt the bastard?"

Takami's evil grin was all the answer Naruto needed as the limo pulled away from Maison Izumo. The woman settled herself into the crook of the arm wrapped around her, wondering idly if this odd feeling of being protected was one of the reasons the man had so many Sekirei.

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXXX**

Back at the Inn, a group of women stared after the car as it left, before moving as one whole, and leaping to a nearby roof. They had agreed to let Takami have a date, they never said it would be unsupervised. A jealous woman is a dangerous concept, and Naruto had three on his tail right now.

-Makes me glad I'm not in is shoes.-

The only two of Naruto's Sekirei not to follow him were Miya and Akitsu, having been with him the longest, they knew nothing would come of one date... except maybe a second date. Okay, now they were slightly worried, but they still held faith in their Ashikabi. He was only one man, what could possibly go wrong? It wasn't like Naruto had a natural charisma that attracted women to him unconsciously.

... Suddenly Miya and Akitsu rushed out of the Inn, in hot pursuit of the others. They would protect their Ashikabi from the foul clutches of other women!

-**_RUN YE STUPID BASTARD! RUN! It won't save you, but it might buy you some time!-_**

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto was having a blast. He and Takami had hit up a small festival happening along the northern docks, and he had won the woman a few small prizes, one of which was a small plush white fox. He had said it matched her hair, and she had blushed about it...

Go Naruto.

The only thing marring the evening was the negative feelings he was receiving over the Bond with his Sekirei; jealousy. In an effort to placate them, he sent his own feelings of love along the Bond, and felt them relax a little. Apparently even though they knew he wasn't really courting this woman, they were still jealous of the time being spent with her.

Oh well, he couldn't win them all.

Naruto and Takami left the festival, riding in the limo once more -hey, Takami paid for the entire night, they could afford to use it to cross the street if they wanted-, heading for the most expensive restaurant in the North; Aragawa*.

Unknown to Takami, they were still being trailed by five semi-jealous Sekirei.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

The two arrived at the restaurant without incident, partly because of Naruto's Sekirei scaring off any other Sekirei who might have tried something, and partly because many of the gangs and hoodlums recognized old Jeeves' license plate and felt it would be a good idea to find easier prey.

The old man apparently had a reputation with the younger generation as a Person Not To Be Fucked With. Who would have guessed? And he seemed like such a polite, elderly gentleman...

-Right, and I'm really the Easter Bunny here to give all the good little boys and girls chocolate. Since when is the "old butler" JUST an "old butler"?-

Upon reaching their assigned table for the evening, Naruto made sure Takami was seated first, before seating himself. It was one of those old time traditions, but many of those were still appreciated. If the slight dusting of red on Takami's cheeks were any indication, it was something _she_ appreciated too.

Taking a look at the menu, Naruto found himself glad that Takami had swiped Minaka's card. This stuff was _expensive!_ Naruto regularly made a monetary amount in the seven digit figures monthly, and he wouldn't want to try paying these prices. Actually, he was fairly certain that even if he _could_ pay it, he'd be broke for a long time.

Naruto decided right then and there, he was _not_ taking any of his Sekirei here for a date. He loved them, no if's, and's, or but's; however, he wasn't shelling out the kind of money that could easily pay for Maison Izumo's upkeep for months, just for a singe meal. It simply was not going to happen.

-Sorry, Ladies, maybe in a different fic, eh?-

Placing their orders, Takami picked up her glass of water while she waited for her chosen beverage to arrive. "So, tell me Naruto-san, just where is it you come from? By your appearance you're part Japanese and part American, but your accent is from an old dialect of our native tongue. You are quite the enigma, Naruto-san, so I hope you can forgive my interest."

Naruto chuckled a little. "You wouldn't be able to find it, Takami-san. My home village doesn't exist."

This piqued her interest further. "Oh? And just what could you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said; it doesn't exist. Konohagakure not Sato, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, does not exist on any map of the known world. In point of fact, I'd be surprised if you could find any information on it outside of my own head." He swirled the water in his glass a little, debating on if he should give her any more information.

Takami leaned forward a bit, resting her arms on the table. "Do you mean to tell me, that your village is so well hidden, that even satellites would be unable to find it?"

A smirk found it's way onto his face. "You could say that. Actually, if you could find it via satellite I'd be tempted to sign over the rights to Icha Icha."

An answering smirk found it's way to Takami's face. "Now, that is a challenge I feel I simply must take on. Though, I'll admit I have no interest in that book series. How about, if I find your village, _you_ pay for the next date?"

Naruto chuckled. "I'll accept that, but what will I get should you surrender? Hm?"

Takami's grin widened slightly, she hadn't this much fun in years. "Why, you get the honor of _planning_ the next date."

He laughed. "Oh! that was perfect!" Naruto calmed himself, and wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "Alright, should you find it, I pay for the next date, and should you come to me saying you quit, I'll plan the next one, seeing as it seems to be a foregone conclusion that there will actually _be_ a next date. So, what else would you like to know?"

The dinner continued from there, into small talk and a little about their respective pasts. Takami admitted to a couple flings with Minaka which resulted in her two children, one son and one daughter. Naruto found it amusing, however, that the son's name was Minato, and the boy apparently couldn't be further from Naruto's father, who shared the boy's name, if he tried. In fact it seemed the only thing the two of them shared was their genius intellect, though where Namikaze Minato excelled under pressure, Sahashi Minato crumbled like dry dirt.

When Naruto mentioned this, the two of them shared a small laugh. Then there was Takami's daughter, Yukari. She was everything her brother wasn't. Determined, decent under pressure, and impossibly lively. She seemed to be a brown-haired version of Naruto's mother, Kushina, right down to her temper. The similarities were so close, it actually kind of scared him to think his parent's might have been reincarnated into this world. As siblings, no less.

Talk of children, eventually lead to Naruto talking about his own, his pride in them shining through. Then Takami asked something she really shouldn't have.

"So, what do your kids think about all the new mother's they're getting in the form of your Sekirei?" A teasing smile was upon her lips, the question innocent in it's jest.

Naruto's face dropped instantly into a sober expression. "I don't know. They died, some time ago. I'll never know because some maniac burned them alive, right in front of me after killing my wife, and I couldn't do anything to stop it."

This brought a pall over the meal, and stifled any conversation for some time. Takami cursed herself for bringing up painful memories in the intriguing man. In her defense, though, one doesn't expect such a young-looking man to have been married with kids, and to have then lost them right in front of his eyes. That really isn't the sort of thing you can see coming.

They finished eating in an awkward silence, neither of them quite certain how to dispel the tense atmosphere. After paying the tab, which was indeed high as Naruto expected, they left the restaurant, and reentered the limo, giving Jeeves the direction to take them back to Izumo.

A few minutes into the ride, Takami raised a hand and dragged it through her hair. "Look, Naruto-san, I'm sorry. I didn't know-"

Naruto interrupted her with a raised hand of his own. "You couldn't have known, so there is no reason to apologize. It's my fault, Miya and Akitsu have been helping put the ghosts of my past to rest, but my children are still a sore spot for me. I'm still trying to figure out just how that maniac managed to shut me down."

The woman sighed in relief. "Nonetheless, I feel as though an apology is in order from me. Though, if I may ask, what was her name, your wife?"

Naruto gazed out the window, seemingly unhearing. Takami was about to repeat herself, when he responded. "Uzumaki-Hyuuga Hinata. That was her name, and just like you can't find me, I know you won't find her in the registries. As far as the world is concerned me and mine were nothing but ghosts. We don't exist. Or rather, we didn't until I became part of this Sekirei Plan. Now, please, no more about this Takami-san. It's still too raw for me."

Takami acquiesced with a nod. "Of course, Naruto-san. My apologies again, for bringing up painful memories."

Naruto merely grunted in acknowledgment, watching the building pass by outside, and, as if in response to his mood, it began to rain. A pounding rain that invoked heavy feelings in those that viewed it. A perfect reflection of Naruto's unresolved emotions.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

The remaining drive back to Izumo was conducted in pure silence. Naruto was lost in thoughts of his past, and Takami was making multiple mental notes to never bring up his children again. Finally the limo stopped, and Naruto opened his door before Jeeves could get out to do so for him.

Stepping out he turned back around and looked at Takami. "Despite the sour end note, I enjoyed myself Takami-san. However, for both our conveniences, perhaps next time we should leave the past in the past."

Naruto closed the door and watched the vehicle drive off, before turning around on the walkway and sinking to his knees on the rain-soaked stones, his face raised to the heavens in a howl of anguish and loss, as he finally vented the pain of his lost children to the world. His eyes clenched tightly shut, his fists balled at his sides, his ears blocked once again with the sounds of his village burning, his tears mixing with the falling rain til one could not separate the two.

He never even noticed when his Sekirei surrounded him, his pain blocking them all out even as they each pulled him into a large group hug, unable to do anything else for this man who had given everything for his world, and still lost it. This man who turned their world on it's head, and would give still more of himself to ensure his loved one's future.

Through the Bond they could feel his anguish at the loss of his world, his frustration at the man who stole it all from him, and his impotent fury at himself for being unable to stop it. With all his emotion raging through them , each made a silent oath; none of them would let him feel like this again.

He was their Master, their lover, their leader, their husband.

He was their Ashikabi. And they would see to it that everything he gave them was returned a hundredfold. For he deserved nothing less, and they would make certain he got it.

And so the group remained, drenched in the pouring rain, even as Naruto continued to scream his pain to the heavens, hoping somehow that his family could hear him, and know that, while he would never forget them, he had a new life now. New life, new love, and he needed to live it for everyone who ever put their faith in him. This world might not need a Hokage, but these women around him needed Uzumaki Naruto; and he would give everything he had once more, to making his new world a better place.

He was Uzumaki Naruto, Ashikabi of the North, and this time, he _would not fail!_

Then his stomach growled. ... What a way to ruin the mood.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

Alright, a great deal shorter than normal, but I just couldn't see a way to make it longer without getting into stuff from the next few chapters.

*Aragawa is an actual restaurant in Tokyo. In 2006 it was listed by Fobes as the most expensive one-person dinner in the world, coming in at a whopping $368 US Dollars on average. From what I can tell via Google Maps, it's actually near the eastern center of Tokyo, but don't quote me on that. I read maps about as well as the stereotypical male in a bad joke does. GIVE ME LANDMARKS!

New Sekirei Profile.

Name: Homura

Number: 06

Height: 173cm

Three Sizes: B82/W61/H81

Weapon: None

Specialty: Fire element.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** I'm getting a lot of love for this story, which is absolutely awesome. Doesn't mean I'll change my mind about that "Nine Sekirei Limit", but it's still awesome. Let's face it people, trying to keep track of that many romantic entanglements is a pain, I'm not going to subject myself to more. That having been said, I do hope not to suddenly disappoint you, my readers. Or at least those who care enough to drop me a review.

As for the Harem... I have been getting requests for Takami to be in, and not. Tell you people what, I'll write, and see what happens. If there's enough chemistry, you naysayers are just going to have to put up with it. If there isn't, the other side gets to deal with it. Takami is an experiment.

On a side note, my man, Mr. AnimeKidd, has convinced me to give you all Yume in Naruto's flock. You can thank him later.

Next note is a long one so bear with me. The first part is obviously the name change from Pheonixblade. There are two reasons for this change, but the important one is that Mr. AnimeKidd -who now calls himself Dreaming of the Horizon- proposed that he and I start a new group/community, and suggested having matching names among the "pioneers", so to speak.

This group is going to be dedicated to promoting authors with awesome stories, and getting our own stories out there as well. We'd also be a large team, helping each other out with our stories. The community/group name has been decided on as "Dreamers", as that is what we, as authors and fans do, dream. ... Even if we haven't got it up and running yet as we're still recruiting.

If you're interested, or have suggestions, PM either Horizon or myself and we'll get back to you.

Please Note: the name changing is optional for those who want in on the "groundbreaking", and we'll accept those who only Beta stories.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 07**

"Here we go again..."

This phrase was uttered as one Uzumaki Naruto stared at his newest Sekirei, his sixth that he just got, who was straddling his lap in the middle of a now-vacant street and snuggling her face into his chest. How did this come to pass? Well the answer is both simple, and complicated at the same time.

It had been a little more than four months since he winged Homura, and began to actively participate in her self-given task of protecting her unwinged sisters. His other Sekirei had also joined their efforts, and as such they had been largely successful in keeping forced wingings from occurring, or keeping a certain pair of lightning-wielding Sekirei from knocking out the competition before it became a problem.

Numbers Eleven and Twelve, the Lightning Twins, Hibiki and Hikari -Naruto wasn't certain which Sekirei was which number-, and their Ashikabi, Seo Kaoru. The man had apparently been best friends with Miya's former husband, Asama Takehito, and had been one of the first Ashikabi. Seo was, in Miya's words, "scum of society", but he didn't approve of his Sekirei's activities, and tried to kep them on a leash... He just largely failed.

Now, today, the chivalrous/righteous stance Naruto and his Sekirei had taken to protect the unwinged "little birds" had backfired spectacularly when the one they protected decided she was reacting to him, and promptly kissed him, gaining her wings, and annoying the hell out of Miya. Naruto wanted to say it wasn't his fault, and he would be correct, but he knew that Miya didn't want to hear it at this point. Not that any of his other Sekirei blamed her, they probably didn't want to hear it either.

Naruto could only stare at the top of his newest "wife's" head with a deadpan expression, even as the woman snuggled her face happily into his chest. She obviously expected him to be glad to get another Sekirei... She just as obviously didn't realize who the purple-haired woman with the sword and wearing miko-style clothes behind him was. If she did, and _still_ ignored the evil eye she was currently receiving, then she was either incredibly brave, incredibly powerful, incredibly stupid, or some combination thereof.

Due to his innate understanding of things... Naruto was betting on number four, and really, knowing his luck, it was probably the safest bet he would ever make. Right next to "Yes Dear" to anything Miya asked him to do, or suffer the consequences of her new-found prankster side.

He still had no idea how she managed to get boiled tripe* to look like ramen noodles.

On second thought, he didn't _want_ to know! He sighed, and took a better look at his new Sekirei, neither he nor she had really given each other much more than a passing glance prior. Miya may not be happy with yet another to share the bed, but she'd get used to it, she had before.

Like almost every last one he had seen before, she was a beautiful example of the female form. Long brown hair tied back, bright doe-brown eyes, rounded face, perfect complexion, button-nose, and perfect lips. Her outfit was simple; tight black leather top, black gloves, black mini skirt and stockings, with a set of sandals to finish the look. It actually reminded Naruto of the Disciplinary uniform, just without the gray haori. Her gloves also had a number on them: 08.

Wait a second... He'd met this Sekirei before, while he was wandering the world. It was in a desert area somewhere... An island of sort.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Flashback**

**XXXXXXXX**

Naruto was walking, just walking, through a desert-like area. High temperature, lack of plant life, lack of fresh water, hard-packed dirt beneath his feet riddled with cracks. Naruto felt safe in calling it a "desert".

Then a noise interrupted his musing thoughts. A very familiar sort of noise. An explosion, to be precise. After the Fourth Shinobi War, he was very certain just what an explosion sounded like. Having several go off in your general vicinity will easily engrave the sensation into your psyche. _Causing_ some of those explosions will double that probability.

However, since these particular explosions _weren't_ either focused on him, nor created by him, Naruto found himself intrigued as to what the commotion was about. Quite possibly not one of his brighter ideas, but in his defense his parents hadn't told him to _not_ go toward the explosions. Actually his parents hadn't told him much of anything, save to find himself a girl like Mom.

He'd had Hinata, that was awesome in his books.

Naruto started in the direction of the noise anyways. It wasn't like he had anything better to do, he was literally just out walking. He'd arrived in this world about a year ago now, and while Father Hideo had been beyond awesome, Naruto had no idea what to do with himself. He'd gotten his godfather's books published again, or at least the first three, he had no interest in writing that smut in the man's place. So he went out for a walk... over the seas.

Chakra was such an enabler.

Oh, he had arrived... and there were people cut in to pieces of meat, tanks in shreds, helicopters ruined, and a gray-haired woman with a nodachi standing in the midst of it all with a self-satisfied smile. Behind her a heavy bunker door stood open, another woman holding a child stood there. Though whether it was from shock or something else, Naruto couldn't tell from this distance. What he _could_ see was that the child needed help, and quickly.

Rushing down, straight past a surprised nodachi-wielder, Naruto came to a stop in front of the other woman, and reached his hands for the child. "Please, I can help her, but you have to trust me."

The woman looked at him for a moment, and nodded, handing the child over, a young girl. A young girl whose body showed extensive signs of surgeries and other experimentation that made Naruto's blood boil just thinking about. But those thoughts would have to wait, her presence was fading fast.

Naruto began to glow a burnished gold, becoming covered in strange symbols, he lay the child on the ground gently and placed his hands on her chest and forehead. Ever so gently, he channeled healing and vital energy into the child's broken form, slowly moving the energy around her body. He was startled at one point to discover a small core of weakly pulsating power, similar to his own chakra. This, then, was obviously the most important part, so he set about healing it, just like his Baa-chan showed him.

Naruto gave the briefest of thoughts to how he was never really talented in the Healing Arts, but had pestered Baa-chan, Senju Tsunade, to teach him everything she could. When he had obtained power from the ancient Rikudo Sennin of his world's past, power that allowed him to Heal others, poor Tsunade just about had a field day trying to cram even more into his skull.

He had never been so grateful for those lessons than he was now, as he stabilized the energy core of the young girl under his hands. It was a delicate process, but thankfully well within his ability in this form. Upon completing that process, he moved on to the far lesser injuries, fixing them up too, leaving a healthy young girl laying on the ground, fast asleep.

He dropped out of his "Rikudo Sennin Mode", and let the worried woman take a close inspection of the child. He finally noticed the woman had long brown hair, and a perfect face. She was breathtaking, but Naruto's heart still said she was nothing in comparison to his beloved Hinata.

That wound was still too raw to even contemplate.

The brunette raised a joyful tear-streaked face to his. "Thank you, thank you for saving this little bird! I don't know what you did, or how, but thank you! My name is..."

**XXXXXXXXX**

**Flashback End**

**XXXXXXXXX**

"...Yume-san?"

Naruto was shocked. Why was she out here? Last he knew she was with the Disciplinary Squad. And where was that bloodthirsty partner of hers? Karasuba, if he remembered correctly from all those years ago.

Startled eyes jumped to his, and a gasp came from open lips. "Naruto-sama! I never thought I'd see you again. And now you're my Ashikabi on top of it, this is great!" Looking behind Naruto, she saw the rest of his Sekirei, and she smiled. "Oh! Are all these yours too? That's terrific! I can already feel the love you and they have for each other."

A collective sweatdrop hit the group, and seeing that Yume was alright, Naruto made a quick decision. "Well, we should get out of the street. Izumo's not far from here. We can go there, and everyone can get acquainted. After all, I'm sure you have many stories from the past five years or so, right?"

"Yes!" Yume smiled brightly ... Naruto was starting to wonder if she was okay in the head. Then again he was a dimension/reality-hopping ninja, who was gaining a harem of alien women, so he really didn't have a leg to stand on in the mental stability department.

Then again it was in the ninja's job description to be either insane or mentally unstable... Right below a clause stating that it was required to have a Yamanaka go rooting through your head once every five years to make sure you're still fit for duty. If he wanted any proof of this, well, Maito Gai was his "Exhibit A".

They slowly made their way back to Izumo, if only because Yume refused to let go of Naruto's left arm. Consequently his right arm was almost immediately taken by Akitsu, causing it to become buried in the flesh of her breasts. She wasn't as clingy as she was originally, but she still seemed to enjoy such a close proximity. While the same could be said for all of his Sekirei, none of them seemed to revel in it like Akitsu did. Naruto figured it must still be some lingering doubt, or perhaps she was simply that happy, either way he didn't mind.

Yume was a bubbly woman, with a step that made her modest assets bounce enticingly. Not that Naruto noticed, not with Miya looking, no siree. The purple-haired Sekirei still had dibs on being the first of his flock to break the "no sex" rule of Maison Izumo. Naruto figured that when she finally did so, the rule would be changed to something like "keep it quiet" or "I don't mind if you do it, but try not to disturb the others living here".

This was something Naruto knew Matsu would take advantage of the moment she snagged herself an Ashikabi. He was just glad that she still wasn't reacting to him. She was intelligent, kind, and loyal. ... She was also the best analogy he had to a female Jiraiya.

He'd avoid that, thank you very much. He loved the man like a grandfather, but there was no way Naruto could bring himself to be romantically involved with a woman who reminded him of the elder shinobi. It simply was not going to happen. Not in this life, and not with his memories intact.

Actually, Naruto was fairly certain that even if he'd been reborn without his memories, he _still_ wouldn't go for it. That was just so many levels of creepy, he didn't dare to contemplate. He liked Matsu enough to treat her fairly, but not enough to not prank her.

Speaking of which... A loud, female scream rent the air, coming from the second floor of the Inn. Matsu must have triggered his most recent prank then. Poor perverted woman, but she should know not to leave her spy cameras and microphones in Naruto's room. He just couldn't leave them laying around like that, so he industriously cleaned them up, and deposited them in a new location.

Said location just happened to be a new club for the utterly depraved that opened up in the East end of Tokyo. They catered to any number of disgusting fetishes, just shy of pedophilia, but with a preference for male-on-male. Apparently even _they_ had some morals. ... Just not many.

The front door slammed open, and an openly weeping Matsu stood there, her tears looking suspiciously like blood in the fading light of day. Oh wait, that _was_ blood, she probably tried to claw her eyes out or something.

"Naru-ta~n, how could you be so mean?! What have I ever done to you?" Matsu whined pitifully.

"Then you shouldn't have left your things in my room, Matsu. I thought you might want something new to research, so I gave them to the club owner to distribute. She was very accommodating." Naruto's reply was instant and cruel, but delivered in a strangely kind voice, as if he had only been doing her a favor.

Miya was taking notes in the background.

Matsu sniffed pathetically. "But, but, that was too cruel, Naru-ta~n. I didn't want to see old men with hairy balls doing _that_! If you're going to give my cameras out, couldn't you have at least given them to Host Club or something?"

"Hm? I'm sorry, did you ask me to put them somewhere worse? Okay."

Matsu blinked, the tears of blood mysteriously vanishing. "What could be worse than what i've already seen, and cannot be unseen?"

Naruto just gave her deadpan expression. "You really want _me_ to start getting creative, Matsu?"

The red-head paled drastically, which, considering her already pale complexion, was something to see. Almost like the walking dead with that pasty-white face. Reminded Naruto of Orochimaru. A man so pale, no one was quite certain if he was the walking dead, or just playing with make-up. In any case, Matsu's head was shaking hard, side-to-side, in a negative motion.

"NO! Matsu will be a good girl!" Her head hunched down between her shoulders in defeat. She got the message: No spying on possibly intimate moments... So she probably shouldn't try activating the ones she previously had in the bathing room. Matsu _REALLY_ didn't want to know where Naruto had put those.

Naruto patted her on the head lightly. "That's good, Matsu. Now, we have a new resident, and I'm almost certain you know her."

Matsu looked at the group a bit more closely, and smiled. "Oh, Yume-tan! So you've been winged by Naru-tan too, huh? Jeeze, Naru-tan, just how many of them are you going to get. She's your sixth already, and the Official begining of the Plan won't be for a while yet."

Naruto blinked, then bopped the woman on the head. "You make it sound like I'm trying to get them. I won't deny them, but I won't actively search them out either, unless I receive one of those 'reaction dreams'. You know that Matsu."

"Muuuu~, Naru-tan's a meanie."

"I'm a ninja. We lie, cheat, steal, and be cruel when the need arises. ... I was just never very good at the first one."

Akitsu nodded, her head still buried in his shoulder. "Ah, Naruto-sama is a bad liar."

Naruto sweatdropped as his entire flock nodded in recognition of this fact. He knew he was a bad liar, but did they have to agree so blatantly? Oh, who was he kidding? They were _his_ Sekirei, of course they had to blatantly agree with one of his most notable flaws... Wait, was it really a flaw?

As a shinobi, Naruto would probably have to say "yes", since lying typically went hand-in-hand with deceiving the enemy in battle or in negotiations. As a man, a husband, or a father? His answer was a resounding "NO". So while he couldn't tell a convincing lie to save his soul, he could act a different role.

Odd as it may seem, he could _act_ but he couldn't _lie_. Possibly because what he said while in the role wasn't a lie for the character he was playing. His thoughts turned to one of his Kage Bunshin currently infiltrating MBI, Utatane Moegi.

His clone was a woman, he was not, but while in the persona of Moegi he could easily pass for one because _Moegi_ was a woman. Moegi was also a skilled schedule-keeper, Naruto was not. Moegi was polite, well-spoken, had impeccable fashion sense, and a degree from Tokyo University. Naruto could be polite, wasn't particularly well-spoken, had no sense of fashion as stated by Miya, and most certainly had never attended Tokyo U.

His former role as a janitor was another example. Naruto, himself, was not the cleanest person in the world, on his own initiative; however, as "Janitor, Shimura Danzo" he was going around and collecting the trash, wiping off tables and desks, sweeping floors, mopping halls, and everything else that a janitor would be expected to do. Danzo was a former military, retired due to injuries sustained in combat. Naruto was former military, but retired due to being in a different world.

So, he could act a part, and as that character he could say things that would be a lie for _Naruto_, but not for that _character_. ... It greatly confused his Sekirei, and anyone else who knew him, but provided Naruto any number of hours of pure entertainment.

Thinking of MBI as they all trundled into the Inn, Naruto felt he should really see about getting in contact with Takami. It had been close to four months now since that failed date, and he felt she didn't deserve that awkward ending. She couldn't have known about his children's deaths, he had only just mentioned them, let alone knowing just _how_ they died. He wasn't completely okay with it, but he wasn't stone-walling people who brought them up anymore, so he should probably try to reconnect with her. Takami hadn't even bothered to try talking to Moegi since the incident, outside of general requests dealing with the company and Minaka.

Little did Takami know that the "Company Gossip Queen" that she _did_ talk to, one Yamanaka Ino, who had been hired as a receptionist, was another of his Kage Bunshin. The talks between the two of them had informed Naruto that Takami still felt awkward about the whole "dead children" thing. In fact it was almost pathetically easy for "Ino" to get information from Takami, the woman didn't even seem to suspect her. Possibly since gossips the world over had little in the way of credibility, so what was the harm in talking to someone who would most likely never be believed?

That having been said, Naruto also had to briefly think about just how easy it was to get some of his clones into MBI. Most of the ones remaining were female, with only two male counterparts, and to make certain that he could play the roles each one demanded, he had modeled them after people he knew in his past. Though he purposely skipped over a pair who had called themselves the "Green Beasts".

There was no reason to permanently scar the innocent who worked there.

At that thought, Naruto stopped for a moment, in the process of sitting down. Could _they_ be why he was unaffected by Miya's Hannya Mask? Those two, even though one was well in his forties, still ranted about "Flames of Youth", while wearing that Kami-forsaken spandex and hugging each other on an illusory sunset seas-side cliff. That illusion was powerful enough that Kurama was unable to break it, causing Naruto to lose the help of the Fox for about a week as he -Kurama- went through his own memories to try and get rid of the image.

Unfortunately Kurama failed. The image was too strong, so they were subject to keeping the memory. They could, however, and _did_ manage to bury the image beneath other memories though. In comparison to that image, Miya's Hannya was nothing. Naruto had even been tempted to try using it on Minaka, but feared that with the man's madness he -Minaka- might decide to join in.

Naruto shook his head to clear it. This was no time to be getting side tracked. He'd need his full attention on this, if he was going to come away without sleeping on the proverbial couch. Though he doubted if Akitsu would leave him there alone, that woman was _clingy_.

Not that Naruto minded. A hot woman that likes to sleep naked? There was no way he was going to argue having _her_ to cuddle with at night. He was many things, but he'd have to be long dead and buried before he denied enjoying sleeping with a naked Akitsu, and even then he doubted he'd say such a thing. Even as a spirit he'd probably enjoy it.

Naruto cleared his throat, and looked at Yume, while Miya went to the kitchen to prepare tea. "So, Yume, I could have sworn you were with the Disciplinary Squad, what changed? Oh wait, before that, how's the little one?"

There was the sound of crashing pottery from the kitchen, then Yume practically chirped in response. "Oh, little Musubi's doing great, almost ready to go out and find her Ashikabi. Yes, she'll soon be able to find her Destined One, like how I've found you!"

Naruto sighed. "I hope her Ashikabi doesn't have to save her from winged Sekirei."

Yume just giggled, if young Musubi was anything like her, then that Ashikabi just might have to save her. Yume hoped it wasn't from those Thunder Twins, though. If that was the situation, she'd probably laugh herself silly. Then she'd congratulate Musubi before laughing again.

Watching the woman giggle to herself, Naruto wondered if maybe -just maybe- he should get Yume a psyche evaluation? Nah, if he did that, then he'd be required to join her, and together they'd probably break the poor psychiatrist. He'd almost broken his former Konoha shrink once, and if he could do that to a ninja specially trained for other ninja, he figured it would be child's play to break a civilian.

Wait, off track!

However, Naruto decided it might behoove him to await Miya and the tea before trying further conversation. He'd have to replace fewer cups then. Besides, it was easier to deal with Miya's fits of jealousy if she was in the same room. He didn't know why, but for some reason it just was. Maybe he was reading into it too much?

Miya arrived a few minutes later with the tea, and promptly served everyone. One thing that she had learned from both Takehito, and the memories of Hinata; a proper housewife denies no one a cup of tea. Actually, Hinata's was a little more indirect; her version was more of, "an Uzumaki bride shall suffer none within her walls to unnecessary hardship".

Miya still had trouble abiding by that one. Especially when Takehito's best friend, Seo Kaoru, a.k.a. Scum-san, came around to mooch off her food stores because he lacked a steady paycheck to feed himself and his two Sekirei. In point of fact, it was the two Sekirei that had Miya actually giving in to Seo's boorish demands that she feed him, as Sekirei cannot choose whom they react to.

Miya refocused on Yume. This discussion would no doubt prove to be very interesting.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

Miya sat upon the veranda, not far from where Naruto usually sat when he decided to do a little stargazing. This time it was her turn to be the one thinking, and she had a fair bit on her mind.

She had been correct, the conversation with the former leader of the Disciplinary Squad was very interesting. Yume had revealed a great deal of information, not the least of which was just _why_ she had needed rescuing, despite her prowess in combat. Yume had been starving, having not eaten in several days to annoy her watchdog, Karasuba, into leaving her alone long enough to get away, unintentionally mirroring Naruto's exit with Akitsu by breaking through a window.

Not exactly a stealthy escape, Yume. This knowledge, however, caused Saki to quickly run into the kitchen to get Yume a sandwich, since eating too much was a bad idea straight from a hunger strike, though Saki also decided to start on making dinner.

Yume had gone on to describe that Minaka was actually practically pulling his hair out over malfunctions with tracer units he was putting in the Sekirei. Somehow most of the Sekirei that had been released in the past several months had their tracers shut off. It wasn't even a tech malfunction, because Minaka had every one of them tested before they were implanted, and it couldn't be a system error or hacking, he'd checked every employee with access personally alongside Takami.

Kocho whistled innocently, and promptly received a kiss on the cheek from Naruto. Evil woman, that was an awesome prank/revenge scheme against that psychopath. Naruto couldn't be more proud of her. The best part was that pranking was so outside of Kocho's normally stoic personality, so it was a double win in Naruto's mind.

Miya shook her head. It was unlike her to get so side tracked in her thoughts. Looking back up at the evening sky she heard a set of footsteps approaching from behind. It wouldn't be Naruto, not because of the time of night, but because he didn't make noise when he walked. Not even when he ran did he make a sound.

Homura stepped up beside her with a tray of tea. "Figured that if you're going to start emulating our Ashikabi by being up at all hours, I'd at least make sure you didn't start drinking like him."

Miya snorted as she poured two cups of the steaming beverage. "Very funny, Homura. You know I don't drink alcohol." She took a sip of her cup, and her eyes widened. "Lemon?"

Homura smiled. "I have acquired a taste for it. The small amount of sugar helps, of course, but I also find that it soothes my nerves more than anything else." She took a seat on the veranda as well, before taking a sip from her own cup. "I noticed you've been more than a little tense lately, Miya. A kind of tense I run into quite a bit in my job as a host. You're becoming sexually frustrated, and we both know that your current method of dealing with it will work for so long."

Miya paused in mid-sip, glaring at her fellow Sekirei out of the corner of her eye. "I don't know what you're talking about, Homura." She replied primly.

"Oh, don't give me that, Miya. You know it's true, and I can see it quite readily. I'm not saying to go all the way, but trust our Ashikabi with more than just your mind. You know he won't take advantage and force it on you, so why not give him a little more trust? Somewhere in your heart, you doubt Naruto. You doubt him to be the good man we both have come to love. You doubt that all this is real, despite waking every morning in that man's arms." Here Homura fixed the other woman with a firm gaze. "If you don't open up to him more, Miya, I don't know what will happen, but I highly expect both of you to become miserable when around each other."

Miya sat quietly, her tea all but forgotten in the wake of this tongue-lashing. Did she really not trust Naruto? Yet she grew jealous when he spent time with the others, and when she heard about the "little one" earlier she immediately assumed the worst, that he had a child that she didn't know of. Was she truly such a shallow and untrusting woman?

Yes, it seemed she was. And she dared to call herself Naruto's wife? This was intolerable, she knew trust was essential between Ashikabi and Sekirei, just as much as communication. It was exactly the same as any other intimate relationship. Miya and Naruto had achieved communication easily enough, it was the primary reason she couldn't stay angry at him.

It was time for her to trust him, though. That was also a two-way street. Miya knew he trusted her, trusted all of his Sekirei. With his life, and his secrets, everything. He held nothing back from them, and opened his heart. Now it was her turn, and the idea frightened her.

But as Homura said, she didn't have to do everything tonight. She could be gradual, a little bit here, a leap there. It was possibly the best option.

"You know, Miya, the rest of us are actually quite jealous of you, too." Miya paused to listen, it wasn't often that Homura bothered to speak like this, and that meant the fire-user was serious. "You have the memories, at least partially, of his first wife. A woman he loved more than life itself, so you can be said to know him the best. Yet, despite that, you can find yourself jealous of the little amount of time we spend with him to get to know him better ourselves."

It was Homura's turn to pause, taking a sip of her own tea. "You are his first Sekirei, but you are also our Pillar. We all take our cue from you, and your actions are giving us mixed messages. You love him, but you don't trust him, and I, for one, believe it's time for that to change."

Finishing her cup, Miya stood up, ready to start trusting her Ashikabi, when Homura's voice sounded out to her again. "The others and I have left him alone tonight." Looking Miya in the eye, the silver-haired woman winked. "It'll be just to the two of you until morning."

Miya's face heated up, but she turned around and made her way to her Ashikabi's side, her plan to begin showing her trust already formed, her will was iron-clad. She would show Naruto the trust he deserved from her, she would open her own heart, and maybe together they could take a leap of faith, and see just where they ended up.

However for tonight, a simple thing that she didn't even do for Takehito would be a good start. She would show Naruto everything, hiding nothing from his eyes. With this first act, she would slowly give him everything she was.

Miya would give him his wife.

**XXXXXXXX**

**Break**

**XXXXXXXX**

*For those who don't know, tripe are edible portions of certain mammalian stomachs. Though if I'm not mistaken it was first coined for use by fishwives to describe fish guts... Don't quote me on that second part. Either way... My opinion states :Disgusting!

New Sekirei Profile

Name: Yume

Number: 08

Height: 161cm

Three Sizes: B80?/W58/H89 (Her natural Bust measurement is unknown)

Weapon: leather glove

Specialty: Light Energy/close combat

Now, I was asked if Naruto would have all of his Sekirei by the time Canon starts up. That would be somewhat difficult as Kazehana, to the best of my knowledge, is not even in _Japan_ at the time Canon starts. Please note, I'm going according to Manga, not anime, as I am intimately more familiar with it.

Finally, I received this review from a Guest:

7 figures a month and you give a shit about $386? That's taking stupid managa jokes too far.

I'm not joking, I simply don't know jack about high class restaurants. I made a search for expensive ones to be found in Tokyo, and that one simply came up first. It's also from **2006!** It's a little outdated, but I didn't feel like looking any further.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN:** I apologize for the late update, but my muse if being a bitch, and running away into the deepest recesses of my mind... I'm kind of surprised really, it's my head and I don't want to be in here, so why does it have that kind of courage?

Speaking of courage... I find it takes a special kind of brave to ask a stupid question. I said it once: this story will have no lemons. So no, Lee(Guest), there will be no lemons. You want lemons? Try my main story, Master of His Fate.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own either Naruto or Sekirei

**Chapter 08**

"I must still be dreaming."

These words flew from Naruto the moment he woke. Why? Because there, in his bed, with him, was a naked Miya. And she was curled up next to him, allowing him to feel every part of her. He could only blink in shock and surprise. Mostly shock, though, because she had thrown their covers off and her could _see_ every part of her that wasn't pressed up against him.

And a glorious sight it was. Her flawless skin, lightly tanned complexion, slender limbs coiled around his, a content little smile playing upon her sleeping lips, and her curvaceous form, usually hidden well by her clothing choices, on full display. Naruto couldn't help it, as his left hand rose and ran her length, from shoulder to just past her hip, and he marveled at the softness.

Miya just mumbled in her sleep and snuggled harder into his chest. Well if that wasn't an invitation to just go back to sleep, Naruto didn't know what would be. So he closed his eyes and drifted off again, his left hand lightly caressing her curves. This was too pleasant to disturb simply because he wanted to know what was going through her head all of a sudden.

As Naruto was lulled back into slumber, Miya's eye cracked open and she shifted her head just enough to look at his face. She doubted she could much more than this just yet, but it was surprisingly easier than she had thought it would be. They hadn't had sex, but Miya was positive it wouldn't be long now, and then she would belong fully to her new husband. The thought actually left her little giddy, like a true newlywed about to go on her honeymoon.

Miya snuggled a little more into Naruto's firm chest. She had never seen the appeal of doing something like that before he came into her life, and now she knew she would have trouble sleeping if he wasn't there. That got her thinking about her sisters, and how she was holding them all back from being intimate with their Ashikabi, their husband, the only man any of them would ever love, and Miya realized that Homura had been correct; she was being unfair, not only to Naruto, but to her fellow Uzumaki wives.

A sound at the door caused her to look in that direction to see five sets of eyes looking back at her. Sighing, she nodded at them with a smile, and almost instantly, she was joined in the bed by all five of them, each one naked and occupying their own open space of their Ashikabi. Akitsu was directly across from her on his right, his legs were taken by Saki and Kocho, and his arms were stolen by Homura and Yume.

Miya had to wonder for a moment, just what would they do when he got more Sekirei? It was a given that with herself, Akitsu, Homura, Yume all being single-number Sekirei that his potential as an Ashikabi was tremendous. There was no doubt in her mind that he would get more, and from his personality, she'd have to say there would be at least one, as each of his current Sekirei seemed to count for some part of him.

Miya was his sense of duty. Akitsu was representative of his dedication. Saki was his skill as a ninja. Kocho was his well-hidden intellectual side. Homura was his Will, his determination. And Yume... Yume seemed to represent his pain, and ability to overcome. Each of them held some part of him, but Miya knew that there was more, that his love of pranks and general fun was missing. Unfortunately, Miya could only think of a few Sekirei who fit that profile, and while one was under her roof, Uzume had an Ashikabi already. If not for that, Miya might have been tempted to play match-maker between them.

But Uzume _did_ have an Ashikabi, so it was a moot point. Though, from what Miya remembered, that Ashikabi was extremely ill. She remembered the story that was told to them last night, about how Naruto and Yume first met. A child Sekirei with a damaged core, and he healed her. That shouldn't have been possible without the donation of another Tama, a core, from a living Sekirei. Maybe he could pull a similar miracle for Uzume's Ashikabi?

It was food for thought, but for now Miya just wanted to bask in the feeling of freedom that being completely naked with her husband and sister-wives. She never thought something so simple could be so liberating. She probably wouldn't let up on scaring Matsu any time soon, Miya found that too much fun to let go that easily, but in time... who knows what changes this man would work upon her?

Until then, Miya snuggled back into her place, she would simply allow the flow to take her, and she drifted back to sleep herself.

**XXXXXXXX  
>Break<strong>

**XXXXXXXX**

It was almost noon when Naruto woke again, this time finding himself practically encased by female flesh. He sighed and looked over into a corner of the room where he had a body-length pillow standing. Utilizing perhaps his all-time favorite E-ranked technique, Kawarimi, he switched places with said pillow.

Chuckling lightly, he headed for a small washroom, to clean his face and get ready for the day... or at least, what was left of it. Heading downstairs when he finished, Naruto started on making a breakfast-styled lunch. Easy enough to do, as he had found the meal in question during his travels. High in protein and fiber, but low in calories. A godsend for anyone looking to keep their energy up, but not put on the pounds.

Naruto blinked, and suddenly everything around him vanished. He couldn't see, hear, feel, smell, taste, or even _sense_ the the kitchen he was supposed to be in. What the Hell was going on? Turning around he found that his senses reacted very much like when he was dreaming. Yet he was awake not a moment ago!

He turned in one spot incessantly, figuring that eventually something or someone would pop up and he'd be able to find out just what was going on. His life was just weird like that. Something strange occurred, and he had to deal with it. Joyous.

Turning once more, he finally came face to face with a person. They were female, maybe early twenties, Tan-skinned, wearing a red top that left her back exposed, white cloth wrapped around her hips, and long red gloves and stockings with white trim to compliment. Grey eyes and brown hair, kept wild around her head, with some longer strands tied into a tail falling down her back. And she had an enormous smile on her face.

A truly stunning woman. He couldn't get something else? While he would admit he liked what he saw, nicely proportioned body and all, he was starting to wonder if there was such a thing as an ugly Sekirei.

She started talking, unfortunately the connection, or whatever it was, wasn't very strong, and he couldn't hear a damned thing. Fortunately for her, Naruto could read lips. Unfortunately, he wasn't the best at it.

"Good day, Ashikabi-san. I am Sekirei _, _, a _-user. This is but a test, to see if I could reach out through the _s, to my Ashikabi. I must say, you are more _ than I thought you would be." Her smile never left her lips, and though he couldn't read all the words, he had more than enough to know she was reaching out through a forced waking dream.

His annoyance must have shown on his face, because she seemed to begin giggling. As he still couldn't actually hear her, he had to go by by her laughing expression and hand motions. He also had to guess that the words he didn't catch were her number, name, specialty, and what she thought of the man she was reacting to from wherever she currently was. That was just great. He could only hope this wasn't a distress call to top everything off.

And she was talking again, but trying to read a person's lips while they're still laughing is much harder to do. So he got nothing from this one. Not a damned thing. Joy, more fucking mystery. Didn't this woman understand yet? If she was to be one of his, she ought to have intuited it by now.

Uzumaki Naruto fucking _hated_ mysteries. It had started with not knowing his own family history, then evolved into why he was hated and feared as a child, followed by why many of the teachers at the Academy had tried to sabotage his time there, which was almost equaled by his former Jonin-Sensei's habit of hiding his face, then there was the issue with learning that damned Rasengan technique, followed swiftly by why Tsunade refused to return to Konoha, then there was the problem of Sage Mode, and everything spiraling down the proverbial toilet from there in Fourth War due to a resurrected Uchiha Madara.

Mysteries. Kami damn them all. They were the source of many of his headaches.

Sighing, Naruto's head dropped, and his eyes closed. When they opened again, he was right back in the kitchen, and the food was almost done. Well that was convenient. So while his mind had been away, his body had continued the motions. Last time he had witnessed that was Gai and Lee sleep-running. Oh well, it was convenient timing for him.

He was just finishing putting down the plates of food when Akitsu came into the dining room, followed swiftly by the rest of his flock. With everyone sitting down to eat, Naruto found himself at the head of the table, Yume to his immediate right, and Akitsu on his left. Picking up his own chopsticks, Naruto dug into the food he had prepared.

Silence reigned as everyone simply enjoyed a meal with each other. It was nice and peaceful... until Naruto opened his mouth to ask a question.

"Miya... is it possible to induce a waking dream in your Ashikabi? You know, force one of those reaction dreams while they're awake?"

Miya carefully set her tea down, and made eye contact with her Ashikabi. "Theoretically, yes, but when the subject was first brought up it was determined that a high level of psychic bonding would be needed. As such the theory was thought to be most possible with Brain-types like Kocho and Matsu. I'm guessing though, that you have had an encounter of this kind? With a Sekirei that doesn't seem like a brain-type?"

Naruto nodded, a grim expression on his features. "I'm thinking she's a weapon-type. Considering that we seemed to be surrounded by shadows of poles, I'd guess a pole-arm. Are there any pole-arm using Sekirei?"

Miya shrugged, and looked over at Kocho, whose eyes were glazed over as she remote-accessed MBI's database. The brain-type's voice came out in a strange echo, as though speaking from the bottom of a well.

"Yes. Sekirei Seventy-Three, Namiji, halberd wielder. No prior knowledge on Namiji to be capable of psychic communication." Kocho's eyes blinked once and she seemed to shake herself as she closed the telepathic link to MBI's mainframe. She always came back from those link-ups as though she had just bathed in something disgusting... must be Minaka's madness infecting the network.

In any case, Naruto's mind was working quickly. A weapon-user was fairly easy to capture and hold, if you could get their weapon away from them. That, however, was a task far easier said than done. And there weren't a lot of places or people that could do something like that. MBI, certainly, but he highly doubted it. Minaka wanted more Sekirei out there, not to lock them up, even if Naruto had winged the strongest and Minaka's personal little spy... Okay, maybe the nutjob might be that spiteful. Assuming Minaka knew to whom Namiji was reacting, he very well might, but this didn't feel like Minaka.

He looked over at Kocho, "I don't suppose the file had any information on where she might be?"

A head shake was his answer. Well, dammit. It would have been nice to have it easy for once!Oh, wait, there was that... with a sigh Naruto stood and walked outside. He took a seat at the base of the tree in the portion of the yard dedicated to light morning workouts, and closed his eyes, ignoring the odd looks he was getting from his flock.

Meditation. Naruto wasn't so good at it when he was younger due to having too much energy, and a natural impatience for anything that didn't make him stronger quickly. Now he found it soothing, relaxing, and he reveled in those quiet moments. However meditation had a secondary function for him as it allowed him to access the earth's natural energy, and use it to reach out to sense just about anyone, anywhere on the planet. Assuming he had a clue what to look for, that is.

Sage Mode.

In this case as his mind quieted, he reached out with his mind, searching for the "taste" of axe. Each element and type had a unique signature to a Sage, a color, feeling, or flavor, each Sage had a different way to understand things. Naruto was almost always hungry as a child, and that hunger became part of his defining characteristics later in life, so his Sage Mode senses tuned themselves to his taste-buds. ... Truly foul for some people, such as Minaka who "tasted" of plums, wasabi, beef jerky, and horse radish.

Cue shudder. He had eaten damn near anything as a child, for one reason or another, but that combination was just wrong!

OH! There she was... and he was right. He could feel her "shadow" trapped by steel walls, that belonged to... THE MILITARY?! How the Hell had the Japanese military gotten their hands on a living Sekirei? Or a Sekirei at all for that matter? Minaka was nutjob, but he was supposedly dedicated to keeping them out of anyone else's hands.

_"I was curious, and got caught. Now they just show up randomly to ask me questions about who I'm working for through the use of speakers. I'm throwing them off by pretending to not understand them."_

Naruto had to assume that was Namiji's voice he was hearing. It was pleasant, lilting, but that was neither here nor there at the moment. She could sense him in Sage Mode, and he could only assume it was the fledgling Bond that allowed her to do so. Maybe he could use this to cheat a little...

_"Well, I'll admit I wasn't expecting a potential Sekirei to induce a waking dream. Incidentally, I couldn't hear a word you said, I had to try lip-reading, which is not one of my strong suits. Now, do you mind if take this conversation a step further?"_

_ "Of course not, my Ashikabi. Feel free to do with me as you will."_

_ "Joy, just what I need, a new Matsu." His griping tone was lost to Namiji as suddenly she found herself standing in a beautifully decorated room with comfortable-looking chairs. Sitting in one was the man she was reacting to, even from as far away as she no doubt was, still blinking in shock. "Welcome, Namiji, to our shared mind-scape. Here we will talk, and decide what to do about your situation with the Japanese military. Please, sit."_

_ She took the seat he gestured to, right across from him. "Yeah, about that military thing... I have no idea how you intend to get me out of here. It's not like you can just walk right in and take me."_

_ A smile formed on Naruto's face, "I don't have to. This shared mindscape can allow for some very interesting things to occur. I could even give you the wings you long for in here."_

_ Namiji blinked. "What?" Seriously, what was the man smoking and where could she get some? How in the name of the Pillar was he able to give her wings in here? This was just a meeting of their minds, wasn't it?_

_ His smile grew wider, "Why my dear Namiji, haven't you realized it yet? This is much more than a mere 'meeting of the minds'. We can even manifest our powers here, if we so desire." To illustrate he pointed to his eyes, which weren't the cerulean blue she had seen earlier that day, but rather a saffron yellow with bar-like pupil, and a dusting of what appeared to be orange eye-shadow. "With this, my Sage Mode, I am fully capable of doing things humans and Sekirei alike can only dream of."_

_ Namiji's face registered pure shock, and on instinct a shadow jumped to obey her sudden call, swirling around her form. "But-tha-wha? THAT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE POSSIBLE!"_

_ Naruto swirled his finger in his ear. Damn that was painful, not on the level of his old team mate Sakura, but still... he had hoped he wouldn't have to deal with such a high-pitched cry again. He loved Sakura like a sister, but damned if her voice wasn't that of a banshee!_

_ Once certain that his mental hearing wasn't harmed, he gave her a deadpan stare. "Not possible? Namiji, I'm fairly certain your adjuster, whoever they were, also said it shouldn't be possible for an Ashikabi to wing Sekirei Zero-One, and yet she was my first. I have a bad habit of making the impossible into the merely unlikely. So trust me when I say, winging you in this space is fully possible."_

_ Namiji just gave him a skeptical look. There was no way she would believe that without proof. She didn't matter how yummy he looked and sounded, and probably felt, she was not a naive little bird who would believe words without empirical evidence. And she simply did not believe it was possible to become a winged Sekirei in a shared mindscape._

_ Speaking of the mindscape, what was with the feeling of absolute power emanating from that door behind her Ashikabi? She could feel calm, and peace, and an almost rapture-like sensation. What the Hell? ... She seemed to be saying that phrase more often with every passing second._

_ Naruto suddenly leaned forward, across the small space separating them, and landed a kiss on her cheek, and Namiji could swear she _felt_ the power inherent in it. So much that she probably could have used her Norito ten times over, and not run out of energy. That kind of thing shouldn't be possible, never mind that all this was just in their heads, it shouldn't be possible for a human to have that kind of strength!_

_ As Namiji's mind slowly shut down, Naruto's smile turned into a vulpine smirk. Every one of his Sekirei had a similar reaction, to a degree, though the rest of them hadn't taken nearly as long to come to the answer as Namiji was doing. Inevitably, however, she would... ah, there was the light coming on, and in three, two, one-_

_ "YOU'RE NOT HUMAN!" A suddenly standing Namiji screamed and thrust her finger in his direction from the far wall, which she had seemingly teleported to._

_ Naruto's chuckle reverberated through her. "Of course I'm not. Not by _this_ world's standard, at least."_

_ Blinking, Namiji's arm lowered slowly. "What do you mean, 'by this world's standard'? Wait, are you really a Sekirei, perhaps one that was experimented on to become an Ashikabi? Damn that Minaka! I'll kill him for messing with one of us! I'll pluck his eye from his head and make him watch through the other one as I crush it into powder! I gnaw on his spleen as he's bound, helpless to a chair! I'll-"  
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_ Naruto's sudden, and loud, guffaws cut her ranting short. "You- Oh! You think I'm a _Sekirei_? OH! I - I never had that one before!" His laughter redoubled when he caught sight of her embarrassed flush, eventually finding himself rolling on the floor in mirth. He was glad that he couldn't die due being unable to breathe while in a mindscape. That would have proven to be embarrassing._

_ Namiji stomped one petite foot, clearly annoyed. "What's so funny?! If you aren't from this world, you obviously came from somewhere, and the only logical argument is that you are a Sekirei and came to Earth with the rest of us!"_

_ Naruto's laughter slowly started dying, It had been funny while it lasted, but it was time to clear things up. "How about an alternate universe?"_

_ Namiji just gave him a deadpan expression, "Sure, alternate universe. And my tits are natural triple-Z. Try another one."_

_ He just looked at her chest. "Triple-Z? They look more like a large D, maybe a double."_

_ She threw her hands in the air in exasperation. "I was being sarcastic!"_

_ "And I wasn't. Alternate universe, parallel dimension, whatever you want to call it, that's where I come from A world where anyone could be powerful if they just worked hard enough."_

_ Namiji was taken slightly aback at his serious voice and expression. He was honestly from another reality? That was... kinda cool really. She cleared her throat a little and sent him a vaguely apologetic look._

_ "Alright, let's set that aside for another time. I believe you said something about being able to wing me here?" Hope was evident in her voice, she wanted to get away from these military types before they exhausted every possible language to try and communicate with her._

_ With a sigh, Naruto stood and motioned her over to him. When she got within arm's reach he quickly brought her in for a searing kiss that she melted into almost instantly. Namiji knew she wasn't as curvaceous as many other Sekirei, but she could feel her Ashikabi's bottomless love through that kiss, and knew that there was more than enough room for her in his heart._

_ In the next moment wings of bright light burst from behind Namiji, indicating a successful winging, and Naruto pulled away a little. "The mindscape allows for transfers of energy, the same kind as is required for a winging to occur. Now, give them Hell, show them what a Sekirei of mine can do, and then come find me."_

_ Namiji nodded and the shared mindscape quickly became host to only Naruto, who turned to look at the closed door that had stood behind his chair. He raised two fingers in a salute, and vanished himself. Beyond the door a deep, crimson eye opened briefly, exuding contentment, before closing again._

Naruto's eyes opened slowly, taking note of a single presence sitting beside him: Akitsu. He could feel the rest of his flock doing something around the Inn, but Akitsu just sat beside him, waiting for him to come back to them all. She was patient, that was certain.

He wrapped his left arm around her shoulders as he leaned in to place a quick peck on her cheek, resulting in a slight blush from Akitsu. "I'm back, Akitsu. I trust you weren't waiting long?" Naruto rested his forehead against hers lightly, locking gazes with the brunette.

Akitsu's face melted into a content smile, and she darted across the small space between them to land a brief kiss on his lips. "Ah, not long, Naruto-sama. Only a half hour, maybe."

"That's good, I didn't want you to start worrying." He leaned back against the tree, Akitsu snuggling into his chest, that same content smile still upon her lips. Naruto raised his voice just enough to be heard in the house, "Miya, best set another place for dinner. We're getting another mouth to feed."

Said woman's head popped out from behind the doorway to the kitchen, giving her Ashikabi a deadpan stare. "You did it again, didn't you?" A sigh escaped her lips at his nod, but she couldn't keep the smile from her eyes. That was the kind of man he was, and she wouldn't change him for anything, not even to keep him for herself. A quick nod of her head, and Miya vanished once more into the kitchen, presumably to get another serving ready.

Kami, he loved how nothing phased that woman. Just like his beloved Hinata in that regard, though the quiet nature was fully embodied by Akitsu. Homura seemed to posses her wisdom, Saki had her combat finesse, while Kocho was almost synonymous with Hinata's skill at damn near everything, and Yume had her never-say-die attitude.

Yes, Naruto saw a great deal of his former wife in his current Sekirei, but he kept them all separate as well, for they were each their own person. He refused to try and make them into Hinata, for none of them were Hinata, and it wouldn't be fair to any of them. They were Miya, Akitsu, Homura, Saki, Kocho, and Yume, soon to add Namiji. If there was one who broke the trend of Hinata-likeness, it was Namiji. Just a few minutes with the woman and he saw nothing of his former wife in her.

Perhaps she was something he needed? A grounding influence to help him continue to keep Hinata and his Sekirei separate in his mind? It was possible that his heart was calling out to Hinata, but his mind was calling out for a stabilizing force, not to forget his beloved wife, but to keep him from driving his current women from him with his attempts to recreate her.

Naruto loved his Sekirei too much to hurt them like that, so he'd happily take in another if she could him on the path.

It was nearly dusk when a new shadow appeared, coalescing into Namiji's form, coming in from over the rooftops. Clothed just as she was in the mindscape, and carrying a rather large pole-axe, her eyes seemed to brighten upon seeing him, swiftly falling into his arms, hugging him to her for all she was worth. Which, considering the weapon she wielded, was actually a fair amount.

Naruto returned the embrace, giving his new Sekirei as good as he got. "Welcome home, Namiji."

Tears formed in the woman's eyes as she snuggled herself deeper into the embrace of her Ashikabi, "I'm home, Naruto-sama."

**XXXXXXXX**

**Ending Notes**

**XXXXXXXX**

Okay, my original idea was for Yahan to be winged this chapter. I tried it, it didn't jive with me, so she's officially off the list of possible Sekirei. I don't know what it is, but I can't use her right. Or what I feel is right.

New Sekirei Profile

Name: Namiji

Number: 73

Height: approx. 160cm

Three Sizes: ?

Weapon: Halberd (pole-axe)

Specialty: close to mid range melee combat.

Naruto's current list of Winged Sekirei:

01 - Miya

06 - Homura

07 - Akitsu

08 - Yume

22 - Kocho

55 - Saki

73 - Namiji


End file.
